China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) began construction on September 5 of Unit 2 of the Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant in East China’s Shandong Province, bringing the power plant’s Phase I project into full-scale development.
The power plant is the 10th nuclear power base deployed by CGN in its nationwide expansion. The corporation plans to build two units in the Phase I project. On November 18 last year, construction began on Unit 1, China’s first Hualong One nuclear power unit equipped with a cooling tower. The raft foundation of Unit 2, where concrete is poured, is a cylindrical structure with a radius of 27 meters and a height of 3.7 meters. The total concrete volume is approximately 8,800 cubic meters, requiring about 60 hours of uninterrupted work.
China General Nuclear Power Corporation begins construction on September 5 of Unit 2 of its Zhaoyuan Nuclear Power Plant in East China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The power plant is being integrated into the clean heating network that covers the Shandong Peninsula. It is expected to be a demonstration base for comprehensively utilizing nuclear energy and advancing pilot programs, such as nuclear heating and industrial steam supply.
The nuclear power plant is designed with six Hualong One units, each fitted with a natural draft cooling tower with a high-level water collection system, standing 203 meters tall and having a water distribution area of 16,800 square meters. The design changes the direct cooling source for the power plant’s conventional island from seawater to the atmosphere.
Upon completion of all units, the power plant is expected to generate 50 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the energy demand of approximately 5 million people. It will reduce standard coal consumption by about 15.02 million tons and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 46.2 million tons annually.
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
