CNNP Urges China To Approve Large-Scale Hualong One Reactor Construction

28 Apr (NucNet): China National Nuclear Power Company Ltd (CNNP), the listed unit of central government-run China National Nuclear Corporation, has urged the government to approve the large-scale construction of the country's indigenous Generation III Hualong One, or HPR1000 reactor, to help cut costs and boost its competitiveness, Reuters reported. CNNP warned nuclear’s competitiveness against coal is falling and nuclear power needs the benefits of economies of scale. In 2016 CNNC and China General Nuclear Power formed a 50-50 joint venture company – Hualong International Nuclear Power Technology Co – to market the Hualong One. There are two Hualong units under construction at Fangchenggang in Guangxi province, southern China, and two at the Fuqing nuclear station in Fujian province, southeast China. They will serve as reference units for the proposed Bradwell B plant in the UK, CGN said. In January 2017 regulators in the UK said they had been asked to begin the generic design assessment (GDA) process for a UK version of the ‘Hualong One technology. The reference plant for the design is Fangchenggang-3. The UK government said the GDA marks a first step in the “robust and thorough” process to seek permission to build a nuclear power station at Bradwell in Essex.