06.11.2007 // Press service of Atomstroyexport

Atomstroyexport will build the 3rd and 4th units of Tianwan NPP in China

A framework agreement for the construction of the 3rd and 4th units of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant (China) was signed during a meeting of the prime ministers of Russia and China in Moscow on Nov 6 2007. The agreement was signed by President of Atomstroyexport CJSC Sergey Shmatko and General Manager of Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation (JNPC) Jiang Guoyuan.

The sides began to consider the possibility of continuing their cooperation right after the successful launch of the first two units.

The first unit of Tianwan NPP was commissioned on June 2 2007, the second one – on Sept 12 2007. Presently, both units are operating safely at full capacity and are supplying electricity to Jiangsu province.

Tianwan NPP has become a vivid example of mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Chine in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy. The project has given China a powerful and safe plant and a team of well-trained specialists for its operation and maintenance, while for Russia it has become an excellent opportunity to show that its nuclear power industry has sufficient potential and resources for implementing complex and highly-responsible projects.

Tianwan NPP has already been recognized as one of the safest nuclear power plants in the world.

Today, the general contractor and supplier of the project, Atomstroyexport is the only company in the world having real reference project of modern nuclear power plant with WWER-1000 reactors.

Note

On Dec 18 1992 the Russian and Chinese governments agreed that they would jointly build an NPP in China and that Russia would provide China with a government credit for that project. In 1992–1997 the sides considered details, made contracts and additional agreements, prepared the feasibility report, Russia supplied China with necessary materials. At first, the sides planned to build the NPP in the province of Liaoning, but, later, they chose Lianyungang City of Jiangsu Province. On Dec 29 1997 Russia and China signed a general contract stipulating that Atomstroyexport should build in Lianyungang two nuclear power units with WWER-1000 reactors with a total capacity of 2000 MW. The construction was started in 1998.

Among the other participants in the Unit 2 project were Atomenergoproject (St. Petersburg), general designer of Tianwan NPP, Hydropress, designer of reactor system, Kurchatov Institute, research manager, as well as Izhora Plants, Power Machines and other companies producing equipment for NPPs – a total of 150 Russian companies and organizations.

Experts say that WWER-1000 reactor is very safe. It has deeply echeloned protection system: double shell for preventing emission of radiation and for protecting the reactor and a kind of a trap for keeping melted core inside and preventing it from destroying the foundations of the plant in case of an accident. This is a unique technology and China is the first country to have it. The “trap” has been designed by Russian engineers and approved by Russian, Chinese and IAEA inspectors.

Atomstroyexport CJSC is the leading Russian organization implementing contracts for the construction of nuclear power plants abroad. After the launch of two units of Tianwan NPP in China, ASE continues the construction of Kudankulam NPP in India, Busherh NPP in Iran and Belene NPP in Bulgaria.