Taishan Nuclear Power Plant
The Taishan Nuclear Power Plant (Chinese: 台山核电站; pinyin: Táishān Hédiànzhàn) is a nuclear power plant in Taishan, Guangdong province, China.[1] The plant features two operational EPR reactors. The first unit, Taishan 1, came online and was connected to the grid in August 2018. It was planned to go online in 2013 and to be the third site to house EPR units. However, the start of operation was postponed to late 2018 and 2019, respectively. Also, delays in other EPR construction sites mean that Taishan has been the first nuclear power plant with an operational EPR unit.
Taishan Nuclear Power Plant 台山核电站 | |
---|---|
Country | China |
Location | Taishan, Guangdong |
Coordinates | 21°55′4″N 112°58′55″E |
Status | Operational |
Construction began | 2009 |
Commission date | 2018 |
Construction cost | 50.2 billion yuan (US$7.5 billion) |
Owner(s) | CGNPC (70%), EDF (30%) |
Nuclear power station | |
Reactor type | PWR |
Reactor supplier | Areva |
Cooling source | Yaogu Bay |
Power generation | |
Units operational | 2 × 1750 MW (gross) |
Nameplate capacity | 3,500 MW |
External links | |
Commons | Related media on Commons |
The project is owned by Guangdong Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company Limited (TNPC), which is 70% owned by China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group (CGNPC) and 30% by Électricité de France (EDF).
Each generator has a nameplate capacity 1750 MWe. These generators are the largest single-piece electrical generators. The 495 tonne generator stator is built by Dongfang Electric. Of the 3500 MWe gross delivered, around 180 MWe will be used by plant systems such as the large pumps that circulate cooling water, leaving 3320 MWe net for supply to the grid.[2]
Construction
On August 26, 2008, excavation work began.[3] The first concrete for the first unit was poured in October 2009.[4] Construction of each unit was planned to take 46 months, significantly faster and cheaper than the first two EPRs in Finland and France.[5] These plans have proved elusive as start up has been repeatedly delayed. In February 2017 after 88 months of construction, CGNPC announced that completion of the reactors would be delayed until the second half of 2017 and the first half of 2018.[6]
In spite of this announcement, completion of the plant was delayed. In December 2017, Hong Kong media reported that a boiler had cracked during testing, and that welding on the component was considered "problematic". Neither the nuclear plant's operators nor the manufacturer of the affected component responded to the news agency's request for comment.[7][8] The boiler was later found to be a deareator, which removes dissolved oxygen from water by heating it.
In January 2018 commissioning was rescheduled, with commercial operation expected in late 2018 and 2019.[9] This was the third delay in two years, involving a further deferral of 5 billion yuan (US$770 million). It was estimated that the plant’s investment cost would rise to between 22 and 23 yuan per watt from an originally budgeted 14 yuan.[10]
On April 9, 2018, the Official Letter of Approving the Initial Fuel Loading of the first unit of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant was issued by the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA). Taishan Unit 1 began fuel loading at 18:18 on April 10, marking the beginning of fuel loading of the first reactor using the third-generation nuclear power technology EPR.[11]
First criticality was achieved at Taishan Unit 1 on June 6, 2018.[12] On June 29, 2018, Taishan 1 was connected to the grid.[13][14] It became the first EPR to enter commercial operation on December 13, 2018.[15]
Reactor data
The Taishan Nuclear Power Plant Phase I consists of two reactors: both reactors are in commercial operation. Its Phase II consists of adding two additional reactors.
Unit | Type | Model | Net power | Gross power | Thermal power | Construction start | First criticality | Grid connection | Commercial operation | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Phase I | ||||||||||
Taishan 1 | PWR | EPR | 1660 MW | 1750 MW | 4590 MWth | November 18, 2009 | June 6, 2018 | June 29, 2018 | December 13, 2018 | [4][16][17][6][9] |
Taishan 2 | PWR | EPR | 1660 MW | 1750 MW | 4590 MWth | April 15, 2010 | May 28, 2019 | June 25, 2019 | September 7, 2019 | [17][18][19][6][9][20][21] |
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. |
References
- "Taishan nuclear power plant to be one of world's largest". People's Daily. December 22, 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- "The generator stator for the Taishan 1 EPR has arrived on site and been hoisted into place for installation". World Nuclear News. October 11, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-05.
- "NPP under construction". China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group. Archived from the original on 2011-01-02. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- "Nuclear Power in China". Information Papers. World Nuclear Association (WNA). 29 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- Patel, Tara; de Beaupuy, Francois (2010-11-24). "China Builds Nuclear Reactor for 40% Less Than Cost in France, Areva Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- "China delays nuclear reactor start again". Yahoo! News. 2017-02-21. Retrieved 2017-02-21.
- "Tests reveal crack in key component of Chinese nuclear power plant, 130 km west of Hong Kong". Hong Kong Free Press. FactWire. 12 December 2017.
- https://medium.com/@factwire/a-battle-for-transparency-two-years-of-holding-taishan-nuclear-power-plant-accountable-4765402f9180
- "Taishan schedule factors in commissioning tests". World Nuclear News. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- "CGN Power's latest project delay deals another blow to China's nuclear energy ambition". South China Morning Post. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- "中法合资广东台山核电站1号机组装料在即". Retrieved 2018-04-10.
- "First criticality achieved at Chinese EPR". www.world-nuclear-news.org. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- "Taishan 1, world's first EPR connected to the grid". EDF Energy. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
- "China's Taishan 1 reactor connected to grid". www.world-nuclear-news.org. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- "First EPR enters commercial operation". World Nuclear News. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
- "Nuclear Power Reactor Details - Taishan 1". Power Reactor Information System (PRIS). International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2012-07-17.
- "EDF says first Taishan nuclear plant to be ready end 2015". reuters.com. Reuters. 29 Jan 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
- "Nuclear Power Reactor Details - Taishan 2". PRIS. IAEA. 2012-07-16. Retrieved 2012-07-17.
- "First concrete for second Taishan reactor". World Nuclear News. WNA. 16 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- http://www.world-nuclear.org/reactor/default.aspx/TAISHAN-2
- "The second EPR reactor at China's Taishan nuclear power plant about to enter into commercial operation". EDF Energy. EDF. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2019.