First Chinese Built Reactor Taishan 2 Ready

The four steam generators for Taishan 1 – measuring 25 meters long and weighing 550 tonnes each – were manufactured at Areva’s plant at Chalon-St Marcel, France. However, those for subsequent Chinese EPR units are to be produced domestically.

China General Nuclear Power Group (CGNPC) has announced that the first domestically-produced steam generators for Taishan 2 is now finished, while the second is nearing completion. The components, manufactured by Shanghai Electric, will be shipped to the site over the next couple of months.

Steam generators are major components in a pressurized water reactor system which transfer heat from the primary reactor coolant circuit to a secondary circuit, turning water into steam to drive a turbine and generator.

Taishan 1 and 2 are the first two reactors based on Areva’s EPR design to be built in China. They form part of an €8 billion contract signed by Areva and CGNPC in November 2007. The Taishan project – 140 kilometres west of Hong Kong – is owned by the Guangdong Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company Limited, a joint venture between EDF (30%) and CGNPC. Unit 1 should begin operating in 2014, with unit 2 following in 2015. Two further EPRs are planned for Taishan.