1,000-ton nuclear containment dome installed at China’s 40 million MWh Haiyang plant
The steel dome for the nuclear island of Unit 3 of Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant in China’s eastern Shandong Province has been fitted into place.
The construction of the nuclear unit’s main building is almost completed. Once all four units are online, they will generate up to 40 billion kilowatt-hours (KWh) of electricity per year. This means the plant will meet the power needs of half of Shandong’s population.
Units 3 and 4 are expected to be fully operational by 2027. China’s nuclear power development will help it meet its net zero goals, while also helping it tackle the prevalent problem of air pollution in the country.
China’s 1,000-ton dome
The recently-fitted nuclear containment dome measures roughly 134 feet (41 meters) in diameter and 36 feet (11 meters) in height. It weighs an impressive 1,000 tons.
The massive structure was lifted into place on March 23, using a 3,200-ton crawler crane. According to a report from World Nuclear News, the process took just over two hours.
The State Power Investment Corporation subsidiary Shandong Nuclear Power Group announced the fitting of the dome as an important milestone. The steel containment shell is the third safety barrier, designed to prevent leakage of any radioactive materials.
According to the Shandong Nuclear Power Group, the installation of the dome “marks the basic completion of the main structure of the nuclear island plant and lays the foundation for the subsequent installation of the iconic module of the third-generation nuclear power – the passive containment cooling water storage tank – on its upper part.”
That storage tank will hold water to cool the reactor in case of an emergency. It is part of the plant’s passive safety systems, which are deployed automatically if needed.
China hopes to attain net zero by 2060 using nuclear, renewable sources
In April 2002, China’s State Council approved the construction of two CAP1000 reactors at each of the Haiyang, Sanmen and Lufeng nuclear power plant sites. CAP1000s are China’s equivalent of the Westinghouse AP1000. The Sanmen and Haiyang plants currently feature two AP1000 units each.
Units 1 and 2 of the Haiyang plant started operating commercially in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Together, they provide roughly 20 THh of electricity to the grid on an annual basis. Those two units alone provide a third of household demand in Shandong province.
“Once the project is fully completed, the four units of the Haiyang nuclear power plant will generate 40 billion kWh of electricity annually, which can meet the electricity needs of half of the residents in Shandong Province and provide more clean heat sources for the Jiaodong Peninsula,” the Shandong Nuclear Power Group explained.
China has turned to nuclear as a viable alternative to its coal-fired plants. These fossil fuel-burning plants cause heavy air pollution.
According to a report by the World Health Organization, this air pollution is responsible for two million deaths per year in the country. Nuclear will help China tackle this problem, while also helping it achieve its net zero goals.
The country aims to reach net zero emissions by 2060. The plan is for nuclear to help smoothen the transition to clean renewable technologies.