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Qinshan Nuclear
Reactors
秦山核反应堆
LOCATION: Haiyan County, Zhejiang
QINSHAN PHASE 1
GENERAL MANAGER: Lin Deshun
Operated by the Qinshan Nuclear Power Company, Qinshan Phase 1 is China's first indigenously designed and constructed nuclear power plant. It was constructed using 95 percent domestic and 5 percent imported components and systems. Qinshan's 300 MWe pressurized water reactor (PWR) with three (3) radiation shields (zirconium cladding, pressure vessel, and containment) was first connected to the grid on 15 December 1991 and entered into commercial operation in April 1994. On 13 July 1995, the Qinshan nuclear power station was certified by the Chinese government and officially placed into operation. During its first year of operation, Qinshan produced 1.74 billion kWh of electricity at an annual load factor of 66 percent.
In January 1998 operators "had difficulties withdrawing the thimble device from a particular channel." But, since operation was just within operational limits it was decided to continue operation until a scheduled shut down in July 1998. At that time, inspections revealed that the in-core neutron flux measuring device was damaged. After redesigning and replacing the damaged parts, the reactor went back into commercial operation on 25 September 1999. However, the plant was shut down again in April 2000 for ten days due to a leak in the soldering of the cooling system. The leak was not accompanied by a radiation leak.
In August 2000, Gu Peilong, an official with the Zhejiang Environmental Monitoring Station announced that regular environmental monitoring reports will be issued in a local newspaper. Future releases will most likely be on an annual basis, according to Gu. Data on radiation levels is collected through five monitors erected within 2.5 kilometers of the nuclear plant. Monitoring will be conducted 24 hours a day.
During the ten years of operation, Qinshan has reported five refueling operations without a Level II incident or higher (IAEA Standards), and has reported no incidents of "over-standard" radiation leaks to the surrounding environment. Furthermore, during this same period Qinshan has contributed 16.78 billion kWh of electricity to the power grid and produced 4.88 billion yuan in sales.
QINSHAN PHASE 2
GENERAL MANAGER: Li Yongjiang
Operated by the Nuclear Power Qinshan JV Corporation, Ltd., Qinshan Phase 2 currently consists of two Chinese 600 MWe PWRs. Construction began on Unit 1 on 1 June 1996 while construction for Unit 2 began on 23 March 1997. Qinshan Nuclear Power Station received a nuclear evaporator on 16 June 2000. The evaporator was built by the Shanghai Boiler Factory in conjunction with Westinghouse Corporation. The evaporator weighs 344 tons and its height is 20.8 meters. Unit 1 went into commercial operation on 4 April 2004. Unit 2 began trial operation on 11 March 2004 and is scheduled to go into commercial operation during June 2004. Another two generating units are still to be constructed. Upon completion of the four units, it is anticipated that the second-phase project of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant will generate 16 billion kwh of electricity per year.
["Chinese Manufacturer Finishes Key Device for Nuclear Power Station," Xinhua via FBIS, CPP20000616000143, 16 June 2000.; "PRC Opens 2nd Nuclear Power Plant in Zhejiang," Xinhua via FBIS, CPP20040310000248, 10 March 2004.]
QINSHAN PHASE 3
GENERAL MANAGER: Kang Rixing
Operated by the Qinshan Third Nuclear Power Company, Qinshan Phase 3 consists of two Canadian 728 MWe Candu-6 PHWR. Qinshan 3 is reportedly the first CANDU-6 project to use open-top reactor building construction and the first in which commercial operation began earlier than the projected date. Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) is the general contractor for the US$ 2.9 billion Qinshan 3 project, which is reportedly the largest business venture between Canada and China.
At the end of 1999, 110 Canadians were on site, accompanied by 230 local managers. Construction on Unit 1 began on 8 June 1998 while construction on Unit 2 began on 25 September 1998. As of February 2000 piping and equipment installation had begun. Unit 1 began transmitting electricity to power grids on 19 November 2002, marking the official start of China's first commercialized heavy water nuclear power station. Unit 2 reached first criticality on 29 April 2003, a reported 52 days ahead of schedule. Unit 4 began commercial operation on 31 December 2002 and Unit 5 began on 24 July 2003.
On 27 March 2004, the first bundle of domestically produced fuel-rods was loaded into the Unit 1, marking a shift toward domestically produced nuclear fuel. These fuel-rods were produced by China National Nuclear Corporation's Baotou Nuclear Fuel Component Plant.
[Source: Lin Deshun, "Overview of the NPPs under construction in China of China's nuclear power plants," Nuclear Europe Worldscan, November/December 1999, p. 35; Tang Zongyu, "Guide to Chinese nuclear organizations," Nuclear Europe Worldscan, November/December 1999, p. 56; Ken Petrunik; "Qinshan CANDU project in China, Nuclear Europe Worldscan, January/February 2000; "Chinese Nuclear Reactor Was Shut Down After Leak in Cooling System," AFP, 8 May 2000; "High Energy Deal, eh: Chinese, Canadian Firms Sign Nuclear Power Agreement," Science and Technology Daily, 27 June 2000, reported in China Daily Online (www.chinadailyonline.com); "China's Qinshan Nuclear Plant Begins Issuing Environmental Monitoring Reports," Xinhua via FBIS CPP20000828000093, 28 August 2000; "Xinhua Article Marks Tenth anniversary of Qinshan Nuclear Plant, Views History, Role," Xinhua via FBIS CPP20011215000100, 15 December 2001.; "China's 1st Heavy Water Generator Starts Working," China Daily, 20 November 2002.; "Qinshan Unit 2 Reaches Milestone," AECL Technologies, 9 May 2003.; "PRC: Qinshan Phase III Nuclear Plant Refills Reactor With Domestic Fuel," Xinhua via FBIS CPP20030329000072, 23 March 2003.]
Last updated: 3/27/2004
This
material is produced independently for NTI by the James Martin
Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of
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