Grid Connection of Yangjiang‑2 in Guangdong, China

The first half of March 2015 was an important time for the Chinese nuclear industry with first grid connection achieved at the Yangjiang-2 unit in Guangdong and criticality achieved at the Ningde-3 unit in Fujian province. This comes on the back of the grid connection of the Finagjiahan-2 unit in January and news emerging of the regulatory approval for the Hongyanhe 5-6 units – the first since December 2013. Construction started at the CPR-1000 reactor at Yangjiang in June 2009 when commercial operation was expected to be achieved during 2014. In total 6 units are slated to be built at the site. Construction of the third unit at Ningde started in January 2010 and is also a CPR-1000 reactor, but, with 1018 MW, has a slightly higher output than others. Both of these reactors are modified versions of the Framatome reactors built in France between 1971 and 1987. On the other hand, the Hongyanhe units, in Liaoning province, will be CAP­-1400 Generation III domestic development, which is based on the Westinghouse AP1000 design.