More Nuclear Reactors completed and planned for South Korea, China and Iran

1.

Two further nuclear power reactors are to be constructed and plans for four coal-fired plants have been dropped in the latest 15-year basic energy plan released by the South Korean government today.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) published its 7th basic power supply plan for the period up to 2029, the previous plan having covered up to 2027.

The plan foresees South Korea’s total electricity demand increasing by some 2.2% annually over the next 15 years to reach 657 TWh by 2029. Peak demand is expected to reach 112 GWe in 2029, compared with 80 GWe last year. The plan aims to cut the country’s annual electricity consumption by 14.3% and its peak demand by 12.0% from their business-as-usual levels by 2029.

The updated plan includes the construction of two additional nuclear power reactors, which had not featured in the previous plan.

South Korea currently has 24 reactors in operation and a further ten either under construction or planned.

2.

The completion of all commissioning tests and government approval to operate at full power marks the start of commercial operation at unit 2 of Korea’s Shin Wolsong nuclear power plant.

Fuel loading began at Shin Wolsong 2 – a 1050 MWe OPR-1000 reactor – last November after the NSSC finally issued an operating licence to KHNP for the reactor. It was subsequently connected to the grid on 26 February. In April, the unit completed a test run at 100% output, after which it was taken offline for maintenance.

Shin Wolsong 2 was restarted in mid-June and final safety checks and commissioning tests have since been completed.

South Korea now has 24 operating nuclear power reactors with a combined generating capacity of 21,716 MWe. Together they account for about 22.5% of the country’s total power capacity. A further four units – all featuring APR1400 reactors – are currently under construction, which will add another 5600 MWe of generating capacity by 2018. More units are planned.

3.

China plans to build two nuclear power plants for Iran, according to the Shanghai-based Guancha Syndicate.

After sanctions on Iran’s nuclear program are lifted, two power plants are planned to be built by China on the Makran coast near the Gulf of Oman, stated Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Atomic Energy Organization in Iran (AEOI).

Salehi stated that Iran has over 90 tons of water reserves and 7 to 8 tons of uranium to support the construction project. Behrous Kamalvandi, the spokesman of AEOI added that Iran is hoping these two nuclear plants could produce 190,000 SWUs (Sperative Work Units) of nuclear fuel for industrial use.

Salehi stated that the new deal will change Iran’s nuclear industry as the costs and the benefits of nuclear industry will be justified as Chinese companies related to the nuclear development will open businesses in Iran.

4.

Unit 2 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in China’s Fujian province has achieved a sustained chain reaction for the first time. The reactor is expected to enter commercial operation later this year.

The 1087 MWe CPR-1000 pressurized water reactor (PWR) achieved first criticality at 1.54pm on 22 July, plant owner China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced.

Construction of unit 2 began in September 2009. The loading of 157 fuel assemblies into the reactor’s core was carried out in May following the successful completion of hot testing of the unit’s nuclear island. Fuqing 2 is scheduled to enter commercial operation next month.

CNNC’s Fuqing plant will eventually house six Chinese-designed PWRs. Unit 1 started up in July 2014, was connected to the grid the following month and entered commercial operation in November. Ground was broken in June 2009 for Fuqing unit 3 and 4, which will also feature CPR-1000 reactors. Unit 3 should begin operation in late-2015, while unit 4 is scheduled to start up in 2017.

The CPR-1000 is the standardized design which is derived from the Areva-supplied PWRs at Lingao and Daya Bay in Guangdong province. Fuqing units 1 and 2 have been built with a localization rate of some 75%, while units 3 and 4 will have a localization rate of no less than 80%.

China’s State Council gave final approval for construction of Fuqing units 5 and 6 in mid-April. Earlier this month, first concrete was poured for the fifth unit. This will be a demonstration indigenously-designed Hualong One reactor.

5.

Construction started today on the sixth unit of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in China’s Liaoning province, plant owner China General Nuclear (CGN) announced.

GN received approval from the National Development and Reform Commission on 10 March to build Hongyanhe units 5 and 6. This marked the first approval for new reactors in four years. Construction of unit 5 began on 29 March. That unit is scheduled to begin operating in November 2019, while unit 6 is expected to start up in August 2020.

Hongyanhe 6

SOURCES – World Nuclear News, Want China Times