China General Nuclear Power and rival China National Nuclear plan to build four more reactors on mainland
Indigenous Hualong One design able to withstand impact of a commercial aircraft crashing on reactor
China General Nuclear Power (CGN) and rival China National Nuclear (CNNC) plan to build four more reactors on the mainland based on the indigenous Hualong One design, which would help lower costs and bolster their business case in export markets.
Shenzhen-based CGN plans to deploy the new design in the fifth and sixth reactors of the nuclear project in Ningde, Fujian province, while CNNC is seeking to use the Hualong One design in the first two reactors of a proposed project in Zhangzhou, also in Fujian, Mao Qing, the Hualong One’s deputy chief designer, said on Tuesday.
Yang Maochun, CGN’s deputy general manager of international nuclear power business development, said a licensing application had been made for the Ningde reactors and it was awaiting regulatory approval.
Mao declined to provide details of the potential investments involved or construction timetable for the Ningde reactor projects.
Hualong One was developed by CGN and CNNC after learning third-generation (3G) technologies from foreign firms.
CGN has upgraded French firm Areva’s 3G technology, while CNNC has made improvements on American firm Westinghouse’s 3G technology. Both have claimed intellectual property rights on the improvements.