All the reactor internals have been installed at unit 2 of Pakistan’s Karachi nuclear power plant (Kannupp), China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) has announced. The unit will comprise a Chinese-designd Hualong One reactor.
CNNC said, 28 January, that the installation of the reactor had been completed 35 days ahead of schedule. All the equipment was manufactured and supplied by the CNNC. The designers were the China Nuclear Power Research and Design Institute, and the direct manufacturer was the Shanghai Machine-Tool Plant No 1.
Currently only a 137MWe Candu heavy water reactor operates at Kannupp. It began operation in 1971. In 2013, an agreement was concluded between Pakistan and China for the construction of a second and third unit. Initially they were planned to have CAP1400 reactors – a Chinese project developed on the basis of the Westinghouse AP1000 reactor, but later it was decided to use the new Chinese project Hualong One (HPR1000) jointly developed by the two main Chinese nuclear corporations – CNNC and China General Nuclear (CGN).
Construction of Kannupp 2&3 began in 2015 and 2016 but the deadlines for their commissioning have been repeatedly postponed. At present they are scheduled to begin commercial operation is 2021 and 2022.
In addition to the two units under construction at Karachi, four Hualong One units are being built in China. CNNC is constructing two units at its Fuqing plant in Fujian province, while China General Nuclear (CGN) is building two at its Fangchenggang site in Guangxi province. All four units are expected to enter commercial operation in 2019-2020. CGN proposes to use a UK version of its Hualong One design at the planned Bradwell B site in the UK.
Photo: The reactor internals have been installed at Pakistan's Karachi 2 (Photo: CNNC)
