CGN Zhejiang San ao Nuclear Power Project Unit2 completes the dome lifting and installation

At 10:26 on September 28, 2023, Unit 2 of CGN's Zhejiang San'ao Nuclear Power Project successfully completed the reactor building dome lifting and installation, marking the  transition of such Hualong One (HPR1000) nuclear power unit from the civil construction stage to the equipment installation stage in full swing.

▲Construction of HPR1000 reactors at CGN Zhejiang San’ao Nuclear Power Project Phase I site

Hualong One (HPR1000) is China's Generation III nuclear power technology with independent intellectual property rights. The large-volume double-layer containment it uses is the third safety barrier for nuclear power plants, achieving a significant improvement in safety performance. The dome of Unit 2 is a hyperboloid structure, and the dome wall panels are steel plates with a thickness of 6 mm. They are prefabricated using variable-angle submerged arc automatic welding technology and hyperboloid dome lining panel one-time forming technology.

The weight of the dome lifted is as heavy as 238.5 tons, and the area is equivalent to the size of 4 standard basketball courts. The lifting work needs to overcome challenges such as swing under the influence of wind and thermal expansion and contraction under temperature changes. The dome is lifted to the height of nearly 70 meters to dock smoothly with the nuclear island cylinder and the tolerance range is controlled at the millimeter level.

CGN's Zhejiang San’ao Nuclear Power Project is the first nuclear power project in the Yangtze River Delta region to adopt the Hualong One (HPR1000) nuclear power technology. Up to now, the main equipment such as the reactor pressure vessel and steam generator of Unit 1 have been put in place, and the main pipeline welding work is being carried out. With the completion of the dome lifting and installation, Unit 2 is transitioning from the civil construction stage to the equipment installation stage. Upon completion of all six nuclear power units planned for the project, the annual electricity output is expected to be about 52.5 Twh, which will help reduce standard coal consumption by 15.88 million tons and carbon dioxide emissions by 43.68 million tons. The effect is equivalent to afforestation of 118,000 hectares. The project is set to continuously provide clean electricity in the Yangtze River Delta region to sustain its development.