The unit 1 of Taipingling nuclear power plant began hot functional tests began on Thursday, which is the first nuclear reactor in the Greater Bay Area using China's homegrown third-generation nuclear reactor technology Hualong One, China General Nuclear (CGN) announced on Friday.
Carried out before the loading of nuclear fuel, the hot functional tests simulate all operation conditions of a nuclear reactor, from cold condition to hot condition. The tests simulate the temperatures and pressures which the reactor will be subjected to in normal operation to verify the safety of the reactor system.
"We could detect some problems in design or with equipment through the hot functional tests and shoot them, so as to ensure all the equipment of the nuclear power unit can operate safe and stable after the nuclear fuel is loaded," said Zheng Dapeng, an operating engineer of CGN Huizhou Nuclear Power Company Limited.
The hot functional tests will last for about 45 days.
The nuclear plant is expected to go into operation in early 2025, with the preparation for the fuel loading in latter half of this year.
Once all the six reactor units are put into operation, the plant will generate more than 50 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
Taipingling power plant reactor unit starts hot functional tests
