Ø            Qinshan Nuclear Power Base

Qinshan Nuclear Power Base is located on a peninsula at the Hai Yan County, Zhejiang Province, on the northern shore of Hangzhou Bay.  It is about 90 km from Hangzhou and 120 km from Shanghai.  It is about 10 km west of the nearest town Haiyan.

The site contains three operating nuclear power stations, namely Qinshan 1, Qinshan 2 and Qinshan 3, and one nuclear power station Qinshan 2 Phase 2 under construction.  China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) is the majority shareholder, if not the sole shareholder, of these 3 power stations.  At the site, Qinshan 2 is 3 km south of Qinshan 1, and Qinshan 3 is 0.8 km east of Qinshan 1.

1)      Qinshan Nuclear Power Station

Qinshan Nuclear Power Station, also known as Qinshan 1 Nuclear Power Station, is the first civil nuclear power station in Mainland China.  It is a single 300 MW PWR nuclear power station using indigenous technology.  About 95% of the equipment of Qinshan Nuclear Power Station was designed and manufactured in the Mainland.  The remaining 5% of the equipment was imported, being mainly major items.

Qinshan Nuclear Power Station began construction in 1985, reaching first criticality in October 1991 and commercial operation in April 1994.  The construction cost was RMB 1.6 billion.

Qinshan Nuclear Power Station operates a 15 month fuel cycle.  Its recent annual capacity factor is typically at about 90%.

2)      Qinshan 2 Nuclear Power Station

Qinshan 2 Nuclear Power Station is an indigenous development based on French technology.  It is a twin 650 MW class PWR nuclear power station designated as CNP 650.  It has many similarities to the Framatome M310 series though having only two primary coolant loops and not three.  It is developed upon proven technology, based on national standards while conforming to international practices.  Each unit has a gross output nominally at 670 MW, with a maximum at 690 MW, making it the largest two-primary loop PWR design.  It achieved 55% localization in construction and has a planned life of 40 years while extendable to 60 years. 

The station began construction in 1996, with the first unit reaching commercial operation in April 2002 and the second unit in May 2004.  The investment cost was RMB 14.4 billion.

Its annual capacity factor is typically above 80% after reaching full commercial operation in 2004.

3)      Qinshan 3 Nuclear Power Station

Qinshan 3 Nuclear Power Station was built by AECL of Canada as a turn-key project.  It is a twin-700 MW class Canadian Deuterium Uranium (CANDU) nuclear power station, using Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology.  It has the following salient features:

• Reactor thermal output at 2064 MW and gross electrical output at 750 MW
• A design life of 40 years
• A designed capacity of 85%
• Natural uranium as fuel
• Heavy water as moderator and primary coolant, with the moderator and primary coolant in separate circuits
• Capable of refuelling during reactor operation

The station began construction in 1998, with the first unit reaching commercial operation in December 2002 and the second unit in July 2003.  The investment cost was about USD 2.6 billion.

Its annual capacity factor is typically at around 90%.

4)      Site development

Construction commenced for Qinshan 2 Nuclear Power Station (Phase 2) in 2006, for another twin 650 MW class PWR nuclear power station based on the same design as Qinshan 2 Nuclear Power Station.  Phase 2 is forecast for completion in 2012 and with 70% localization in contents.

Construction also began in 2008 at Fangjianshan, located at about 0.6km south west to Qinshan 1 Nuclear Power Station.   A twin-unit CPR 1000 PWR nuclear power station (at 1080 MW each) is being built for full commercial operation by 2014.