On December 13, the International Clean Energy Forum (Macao) released the “Global Nuclear Energy Industry Development Report” (the “Report”). According to the “Report”, as of July 1, 2017, the total installed nuclear power capacity in China has reached 40% of the globe, among which 37 reactors in operation with a total installed capacity of 32GW and another 20 reactors under construction with a total installed capacity of 20GW.
From the current overall progress of construction, in 2018 Tianwan 3, Sanmen 1, Haiyang 1, Taishan 1, Shidaowan HTGR will gradually start their commercial operation. By then, China will become the country that has the most third generation units in operation in the world.
In August, Tianwan Unit 3 was first loaded and is expected to be ready for commercial operation in the first quarter of 2018. It is understood that the second phase of Tianwan under construction uses the same VVER1000 technology of Russia as Unit 1 and 2. The nuclear island part is designed and manufactured by Russia, and the conventional island part is designed and manufactured domestically.
At present, Sanmen 1 and Haiyang 1 have the first fuel-loading preconditions and are expected to be put into commercial operation in the first half of 2018. The nuclear island design and some of the equipment purchases were undertaken by a consortium led by Westinghouse Electric Company.
Taishan 2 in Guangdong province, is based on the third generation EPR technology from France, which was designed and built by AREVA, and is expected to start commercial operation in 2018. Taishan Unit 1 has relatively few delays and is likely to become the world’s first EPR unit put into operation.
Shidaowan HTGR nuclear power plant featured modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor. At present, the project has been transferred to the installation and commissioning phase, and it is planned to be connected to the national grid in 2018. It is Tsinghua University that accomplish the research and development.
In 2016, a total of 10 nuclear reactors were started in the world, exceeding the number of any year in 1990-2015. Half of the nuclear reactors are in China, and the rest are in India, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea and the United States, respectively.
