Westinghouse’s AP1000 nuclear power plant in Haiyang China begin to load fuel

KUALA LUMPUR: Westinghouse Electric Company and its customers announced that the Haiyang Unit 1 – the AP1000 nuclear power plant in Haiyang, Shandong Province, China – has begun to load fuel.

Westinghouse’ customers include China State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC) and Shangdong Nuclear Power Company Limited (SDNPC), a statement said. Westinghouse president and chief executive officer, José Emeterio Gutiérrez said the Haiyang Unit 1 continues to demonstrate their ability to deliver safe, innovative solutions for power generation.

Earlier this summer, in preparation for fuel load, the Haiyang Unit 1 has completed the necessary testing and regulatory reviews conducted by China’s National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) and met all the criteria, confirming the capability of Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology.

The plant’s start-up process includes the completed testing phase, the currently occurring fuel load, initial criticality and synchronisation to the electrical grid including ascension to 100 per cent power to ensure safe plant operations.

Currently, Westinghouse has six AP1000 nuclear power plants progressing through construction, testing and start-up including four units in China and two units near Waynesboro, Georgia, US. — Bernama