China's first heavy-water nuclear power station for commercial use
-- Qinshan stage III generator set -- was successfully incorporated
with the power network and began to provide electricity to the East
China Power Grid, at 10:21 am, November 19.
The Qingshan III station is a key project of the nation, as well as
the biggest trade cooperation project between China and Canada. The
CANDU reactor, with two 728MW-capacity generation units imported
from Canada, is designed with an expected life span of 40 years. It
only takes 53 months to complete the No 1 generation set and put it
into operation, being the shortest construction period in
China.
Through the Qinshan III station China has set up five complete
systems regarding agreement negotiation, construction, testing,
operation and nuclear fuel manufacture, as well as fostered a
professional team who is familiar with international management,
nuclear power technology and project administration.
Besides, the No 2 generation set is under adjustment and expected
to put into operation in next August. The two sets, after put into
full commercial operation, will generate nearly 10 billion kw/h
electricity each year to effectively ease the power shortage of
eastern China areas.
Although Qinshan is the fifth nuclear power station in China, the
latest phase serves as an alternative to pressurized water reactors
that are used in all other nuclear power stations.
There are three nuclear power stations in Qinshan, 125 kilometers
(78 miles) south of Shanghai. With the others in South China's
Guangdong Province, China hopes the plants will help satisfy the
electricity demand of the booming coastal regions.
The project will greatly ease the electricity shortage of the East
China Power Grid, which covers Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui
provinces and Shanghai.
The electricity demand of the area is expected to increase by 1
million kilowatts annually over the next three years. Even with the
operation of the third phase, electricity will still need to be
bought from elsewhere, like the Three Gorges Dam.
(People's Daily November 20, 2002)
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