CGNPC's "Hualong No. 1" demonstration project has been fully completed!

The reporter learned from China General Nuclear Power Group that at 8 o'clock on May 25, 2024, with the successful completion of the 168-hour trial operation test, Unit 4 of China General Nuclear Power Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant officially met the conditions for commercial operation. With the commissioning of the unit for power generation, it marks the full completion of CGNPC's "Hualong No. 1" demonstration project.

Units 3 and 4 of the second phase of Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant adopt China's independent third-generation nuclear power technology "Hualong No. 1". Among them, Unit 3 of Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant has been put into operation for power generation on March 25, 2023, with zero unplanned shutdown and shutdown of commercial transportation, with a first-cycle capacity factor of 98.36%, setting the best record for third-generation reactors in China.

The picture shows the "Hualong No. 1" demonstration project of Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant of China General Nuclear Power Corporation. Photo courtesy of China General Nuclear Power Corporation

The construction of Unit 4 of Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant started on December 23, 2016, and during the construction process, the experience feedback of the first reactor of CGNPC's "Hualong No. 1" was fully implemented, and the design, safety control, and construction management were continuously improved, and the construction goal of "one is better than the other" of the "Hualong No. 1" demonstration unit was realized.

"The commissioning of Unit 4 of Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Plant has further verified the safety, maturity and advancement of CGNPC's 'Hualong No. 1' technology, and has accumulated valuable experience that can be used for reference and replication for the batch construction of 'Hualong No. 1'." Cai Zhen, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., introduced that CGN has realized the comprehensive implementation of "Hualong No. 1" from technology research and development, engineering transformation, to project production, and has driven more than 5,400 upstream and downstream nuclear power equipment enterprises to achieve more than 400 key equipment independence, and has the ability to 100% localize nuclear power equipment, which has effectively promoted the resilience and strength of China's nuclear power industry chain.

The annual power generation capacity of the two units of CGNPC's "Hualong No. 1" demonstration project can reach 18 billion kilowatt hours, which can meet the annual electricity demand of 2 million people, reduce the consumption of standard coal by more than 5.436 million tons per year, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 14.832 million tons, and the environmental protection benefits are equivalent to planting more than 40,000 hectares of trees, which is of great significance to promote the green transformation of energy in Guangxi, ensure the safe supply of energy, improve the efficiency of the energy system, and ensure the realization of the "double carbon" goal as scheduled.