China’s HPR1000 Nuclear Power Technology Undergoes Final Checks in UK

中国华龙一号核电技术在英国接受最终检查
Published on: February 13, 2020
Author: Amy Liu

China’s Hualong One third-generation nuclear power technology, also known as HPR1000, has finished the third phase of the UK’s Generic Design Assessment and entered the final stage, China General Nuclear Power and its partner Electricite De France announced in a joint statement yesterday.

The UK regulator completed pre-construction safety and environmental reports and a generic security report on HPR1000 in the third phase and solicited public comment on shared design details during the first three stages, CGN said in the announcement.

HPR1000 is Britain’s first nuclear reactor to have no significant problems emerge in the third phase evaluation, according to the Office for Nuclear Regulation and Environment Agency in charge of GDA, said Mao Qing, CGN’s chief technical officer appointed to oversee the HPR1000’s GDA.

HPR1000’s GDA phase four will assess the reactor’s design and supporting evidence from CGN in more detail and continue to seek feedback from the public in a process expected to last for two years.

CGN and EDF penned an investment agreement on the UK nuclear power project in October 2015. The project includes the construction of the Bradwell B nuclear station in the eastern English county of Essex applying the HPR1000 technology. This is the first time that a Chinese company has led the development and construction of a nuclear power project in a developed country.

The UK must conduct a general design scrutiny of a new nuclear power technology before uses it, per the country’s nuclear security regulations. The scrutiny, which focuses on the security of the newly-built nuclear reactor and assesses its impact on the environment, will be by the kingdom’s nuclear and environmental regulators.

Source: Yicai Global