CGN Fanghenggang Nuclear Power Station Unit4 Begins Commercial Operation

At 8:00 on May 25, 2024, Upon successful completion of the 168-hour trial operation test, Unit 4 of the CGN Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station officially met the conditions for commercial operation. The commercial operation of this unit marks the full completion of CGN's HPR1000 demonstration project.

Units 3 and 4 of the second phase of the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station use China's independently developed third-generation nuclear power technology HPR1000. Among them, Unit 3 of the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station was put into operation on March 25, 2023, with no unplanned turbine shutdowns or reactor shutdowns from fuel loading to commercial operation. The first-cycle capacity factor reached 98.36%, setting the best record for domestic third-generation reactors.

Main control room of CGN Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station Unit 4

  The construction of Unit 4 of the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station began on December 23, 2016. The first-of-its-kind experience feedback of the first CGN's HPR1000 unit was fully implemented during construction, which enabled continuous improvement in design, safety control and construction management, and achievement of the construction goal of "the current unit being better than the previous one" for the HPR1000 demonstration project. "The commercial operation of Unit 4 of the Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Station further demonstrates that CGN's HPR1000 technology is safe, mature and advanced, which helps accumulating valuable, replicable experience for the batch construction of HPR1000 units," said Cai Zhen, Chairman of Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. CGN has realized the full implementation of HPR1000 project transitioning from R&D, engineering application to commercial operation, driving more than 5,400 upstream and downstream nuclear power equipment enterprises to achieve localization of over 400 key equipment items, now having the capability of 100% domestic production of nuclear power equipment, significantly enhancing the resilience and strength of China's nuclear power industry chain.

 
CGN Guangxi Fangchenggang Nuclear Power HPR1000 Demonstration Project

The two units of the CGN HPR1000 demonstration project can generate up to 18 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, satisfying the annual electricity needs of 2 million people. This can reduce standard coal consumption by more than 5.436 million tons and carbon dioxide emissions by about 14.832 million tons per year. The environmental benefits are equivalent to afforesting more than 40,000 hectares. This is of great significance for promoting the green transition of energy in Guangxi, ensuring the energy security, improving the efficiency of the energy system, and ensuring the timely achievement of the "dual carbon" goals.