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Reactor vessel installed at Tianwan 8

Wednesday, 4 September 2024

The reactor pressure vessel has been moved into place at unit 8 of the Tianwan plant in China's Jiangsu province.

Reactor vessel installed at Tianwan 8 — The reactor pressure vessel is moved into the reactor building (Image: CNNC)

The VVER-1200 reactor pressure vessel - together with two steam generators and the pressuriser - left Russia on 12 June and arrived at Yingkou Port in China after 62 days of ocean voyage for transshipment to the construction site. The parts were all produced at the Atommash production site in Volgodonsk in southern Russia. The shipment was transported to the Tianwan site's wharf by two deep-deck ships, arriving on 19 and 21 August.

"Having passed the incoming inspection, the equipment went through all stages of preparation for being installed in its design position," Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said.

On 2 September, the reactor pressure vessel - weighing almost 332 tonnes - was installed in its design position, on the pressure vessel support ring, at Tianwan 8.

The installation of the vessel "lays a solid foundation for the subsequent important construction of the main circuit pipeline and core equipment of unit 8," China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said.

The Tianwan 8 construction site (Image: Rosatom)

Alexei Bannik, Vice President for Projects in China and Advanced Projects of Rosatom subsidiary JSC Atomstroyexport said: "Installing the reactor vessel requires fair accuracy. Russian specialists provided technical support to Chinese partners in this technological process. After the installation of all large-sized equipment has been completed, the Engineering Division engineers will supervise the installation and adjustment of the equipment at unit 8."

In June 2018, Russia and China signed four agreements, including for the construction of two VVER-1200 reactors as units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan plant. Construction of unit 7 began in May 2021, with that of unit 8 starting in February 2022. The units are scheduled to be commissioned in 2026-2027.

The Tianwan nuclear power plant is owned and operated by Jiangsu Nuclear Power Company, a joint venture between CNNC (50%), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%).