Russia's Rosatom starts loading fuel into reactor of Chinese nuclear power plant
Nuclear fuel-loading has started at the fourth power unit of the Tianwan nuclear power plant (NPP) in China, according to Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom. It’s the biggest joint NPP project between the nations.
“On August 25 at 7:20pm (2:20pm Moscow time), the first fuel assembly was loaded into the active zone of the reactor,” Rosatom said in a statement, adding that it plans to load 163 fuel assemblies into the reactor.
Nuclear fuel-loading signifies the start of the power unit’s launch into operation. As the next stage, the power unit will be connected to China’s power grid, Rosatom explained. Tianwan nuclear power plant was built in 2006 by Russia’s nuclear power equipment and service export monopoly owned by Gazprom.
На энергоблоке №4 АЭС «Тяньвань» (Китай) приступили к загрузке ядерного топлива / Nuclear fuel loading has commenced at the 4th power unit of Tianwan NPP (China) pic.twitter.com/Axlwo400c6
— Росатом (@rosatom) August 27, 2018
Two of its units with a capacity of 1,000 MW each were opened in 2007. The second stage of the NPP (the third and the fourth power units) is being built with the assistance of Rosatom’s engineering division ASE. The countries are reportedly negotiating the possibility of adding seventh and eighth units. Last year, Beijing and Moscow said they intended further strategic partnerships in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
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