CGN Fujian Ningde Nuclear Power Unit 5 Dome Successfully Hoisted into Place in a Single Lift

At 8:02 AM on June 15, the dome of CGN Ningde Nuclear Power Unit 5 was successfully hoisted into place with high quality, marking the comprehensive transition of this "Hualong One" nuclear power unit from the civil construction phase to the equipment installation phase, laying a solid foundation for subsequent installation, commissioning, grid connection and power generation.

The nuclear island dome serves as the core safety barrier of the reactor building, undertaking the critical mission of ensuring structural integrity, airtightness, and radioactive containment. The dome of Ningde Nuclear Power Unit 5 features a hemispherical doubly curved shell structure, precisely assembled from main steel plates, angle-steel ribs, studs, and various internal supporting components. It measures approximately 45 meters in diameter, weighs over 270 tons in total, and covers an area equivalent to that of 4 standard football fields.

On the day of the operation, following rigorous monitoring, all site parameters—including wind speed, temperature, and equipment status—met the special-grade construction standards, and the hoisting operation was officially commenced. The large crawler crane performed a steady lift, and then sequentially completed a series of high-precision coordinated operations, including vertical lifting, aerial rotation, traveling under load, height fine-tuning, precise positioning, and slow landing. The dome was hoisted to a height equivalent to nearly 20 stories and successfully mated with the nuclear island steel containment cylinder with a clearance of just 6 millimeters, achieving a perfect one-time fit. The entire process remained safe, orderly, and fully controlled. Finally, after 2 hours and 45 minutes, the dome of Ningde Nuclear Power Unit 5 was successfully hoisted into place with high precision in a single lift.

Tian Huiyu, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman, and General Manager of CGN Ningde Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., stated that this hoisting operation achieved a comprehensive avoidance of safety risks associated with overhead cross-operation through 3D simulation, special plan demonstration, and technical briefing, as well as the refined compilation of the special hoisting construction plan, optimization of the hoisting path, operation sequence, and risk prevention and control measures.

The CGN Ningde Nuclear Power Project is a key clean energy base on China's southeastern coast and the first nuclear power project in Fujian Province to break ground and enter commercial operation. It is planned to comprise 6 million-kilowatt-class nuclear power units, to be developed in two phases. The four units of Phase I were fully completed and put into operation in 2016. As of the end of March 2026, the cumulative on-grid electricity exceeded 347 billion kilowatt-hours. Units 5 and 6 in Phase II were approved by the state on July 31, 2023, and their main works commenced successively in 2024 and 2025, adopting the third-generation nuclear power technology "Hualong One" independently developed by China.