Construction Start of Changjiang‑4 and Sanaocun‑2 Reactors in China

WNISR, 10 January 2022

Two construction starts at year-end in China. Pouring of basemat concrete for the reactor building of Changjiang-4 began 28 December 2021. Two days later, on 30 December 2021, construction started on Sanaocun-2.

The Changjiang site is located in Haiwei Township, Changjiang Li Autonomous County on the island province of Hainan, while the Sanaocun site is in the eastern Zhejiang province.

Both projects use the HPR1000 reactor design, also known as the Hualong One. Construction of Changjiang-3 and Sanaocun-1 of the same design began on 31 March 2021 and 31 December 2020 respectively. Both Changjiang units and Sanaocun-1 are scheduled to commence operations in 2026 with Sanaocun-2 following in 2027.

The Sanaocun site (also called San’Ao) – Photo: CGN

The design is derived mainly from the 900 MWe reactors that China imported from France in the 1980s (Daya Bay) and 1990s (Ling Ao). Based on the China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) ACPR1000 design, the HPR1000 is a Generation III reactor, a more advanced version of CGN’s Generation II CPR1000 and the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) ACP1000 designs.

The China Huaneng Group has a 51-percent controlling share in the nuclear plant project, which is being developed together with CNNC. The Changjiang phase II project-cost for two HPR1000 reactors, according to the China Huaneng Group, is 40 billion yuan (US$6.08 billion).

Of the 19 reactors now under construction in China, ten are of the HPR1000 design. The latest developments bring the total number of reactors currently under construction worldwide to 54.