Handover completed for turbine generation facilities at Chinese nuclear plant

Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has announced that the steam turbine generation facilities supplied for the Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant in China have cleared all functional, safety confirmation, and required performance tests, and a handover was made on December 11. Operations at the plant have begun, making it the second site with a 1,250 megawatt class pressurized water reactor (AP1000), after the Sanmen nuclear power plant.

The Haiyang Unit 1 began fuel loading on June 21, 2018, and reached 100% output in mid-September. On October 22, the facility reached the 168 hours of continuous demonstrated operation required by the Chinese government, and performance tests were completed on November 6. As with the Sanmen Plant Unit 1, MHPS conducted the appropriate prior verification tests of the interface between the nuclear reactor and turbine sides. The meticulous project management and close communication led to a smooth start of official operations. Trial operations for the next system, Haiyang Unit 2, are proceeding steadily, and are expected to reach 168 hours of continuous demonstrated operation within the year.

The Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant was built by Shandong Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. in Haiyang, Shandong Province, approximately 130 kilometers east of Qingdao. This is the first nuclear power plant built in Shandong Province, and the first nuclear power project undertaken by Shandong Nuclear Power's parent company, State Power Investment Corporation Limited (SPIC).

The Haiyang facility comprises two units, each with an output of 1,250 megawatts. Based on a technology transfer agreement with Harbin Electric Corporation, MHPS handled the designs for the turbine, heat exchanger, and auxiliary equipment, and transferred the technology. MHPS also manufactured and provided six low-pressure turbines, two high-pressure turbines, the main valves, and other equipment for the two units within the facility. Harbin Electric handled the manufacturing of the turbine casing, heat exchanger, and other equipment, while Mitsubishi Electric and Harbin Electric each supplied one of the two generators.