Cabling solutions company Nexans has been awarded a EUR9 million turnkey contract by China National Nuclear Corporation to supply power cables and accessories for units 3 & 4 of the Tianwan VVER-1000 nuclear power plant, under construction in Jiangsu province, China.

The company will supply cables for applications within the nuclear containment, with installation beginning from 2015. All products are qualified to strict international safety standards including K0, K1, K2 (class 1E LOCA), Nexans said. The products will be manufactured in France.

"The cable technology used will ensure enhanced fire-performance in emergency situations, with insulation sheathing material having a high level of fire-retardancy and fire resistance together with low-smoke and low toxicity characteristics, provided by the use of zero-halogen materials," it said.

Nexans previously supplied the cables for Tianwan 1&2, which started operation in 2006 and 2007.

Tianwan 3&4 will comprise two 1060 MW Russian-designed VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors, with start-up of the first unit envisaged around 2018. Three shareholders in the Tianwan phase 2 project include CNNC (50%), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%).


Photo: Low-voltage K1 and K3-class cables (Source: Nexans)