China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) said first concrete had been poured on 16 October, marking the start of construction of the first unit at the Zhangzhou NPP in China's Fujian province. Construction licences, valid for 10 years, had been issued for the Hualong One (HPR1000) reactors at Zhangzhou 1 and 2 on 9 October. Previously, approvals had been given for Zhangzhou Phase I, comprising two AP1000 units with construction expected to start in May 2017.
However, CNNC subsequently decided to use the Hualong One design instead. Two more units are planned for Phase II of the plant and a further two proposed for Phase III. Zhangzhou 1 is the fifth Hualong One unit that China is building and serial construction of the reactor design has officially started. "The first phase of the Zhangzhou nuclear power plant has carried out a number of design improvements and optimisations on the basis of the reference power plant, further improving the safety and economy of the unit," CNNC said. In 2016, Germany's KSB Group was awarded a contract for six reactor coolant pumps for Zhangzhou 1 and 2, to be delivered in 2020 and 2021. In mid-2017, China Nuclear Industry No24 Construction Company won the contract for the nuclear island civil engineering.
CNNC is building two Hualong One units at its Fuqing plant, also 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 by the end of next year. CNNC is also building two units at Karachi in Pakistan. These are scheduled for commercial operation in 2021 and 2022, respectively. CNNC said its four Hualong One demonstration projects at home and abroad “are progressing in an orderly manner”. CGN plans to use a UK version of its HPR1000 design at the planned Bradwell NPP in the UK.
