Sino-French nuclear power unit ready for market

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00:36

A third-generation nuclear power unit of a China-France joint venture in south China's Guangdong Province has completed a 168-hour demonstration operation testing and is ready for commercial use, according to China's State Council of Information Office on Friday.

The largest Sino-French project in the energy field – the Taishan nuclear power plant uses the European Pressurized Reactor (EPR) for its No.1 and No.2 power units.

Technology applied in this nuclear power plant has gone through over 40 years of operation verification via 357 units shipped with the pressurized water reactor (PWR), which is proven to meet the European standard and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standard, as well as China's nuclear safety regulations. The security performance has been largely enhanced.

As the world's first third-generation EPR nuclear power unit, the No.1 unit can be put into commercial operation after the plant gets the necessary electric power business licenses.

Run by the joint venture, the power plant began construction of the reactor for the No.1 power unit in 2009 and another reactor for the No.2 power unit in 2010.

"When the Taishan nuclear power project is finished, the two units are expected to reduce coal consumption by about 8.03 million tons and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 21.09 million tons annually, equivalent to 58,500 hectares afforestation," said Gao Ligang, CEO of China General Nuclear Power Company.

(With input from China Daily)