Fuel loading under way at Fuqing 4

The process of loading fuel into unit 4 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province has begun, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced today. The unit is expected to start up later this year.

The process of loading fuel into unit 4 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China's Fujian province has begun, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced today. The unit is expected to start up later this year.

Workers start loading fuel at Fuqing 4 (Image: CNNC)

Following inspections of the unit, China's National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a licence on 9 June for fuel to be loaded into Fuqing 4. The process of loading the 157 fuel assemblies into the reactor core began yesterday, CNNC said. The loading of fuel marks the unit's official entry into the "nuclear test run" phase, it added.

CNNC's Fuqing plant will eventually house six Chinese-designed pressurised water reactors, the first four being 1087 MWe CPR-1000 units. Units 1 to 3 entered commercial operation in November 2014, October 2015 and October 2016, respectively. Unit 4 is scheduled to start up later this year.

China's State Council gave final approval for construction of Fuqing units 5 and 6 in mid-April. First concrete was poured for the fifth unit in May 2015, while that for unit 6 was poured in December. These will be demonstration indigenously-designed Hualong One reactors.

The Fuqing nuclear power plant project is owned by CNNC subsidiary China Nuclear Power Company (51%); Huadian Fuxin Energy Company (39%); and Fujian Investment and Development Group (10%).

Researched and written
by World Nuclear News