Passive safety module installed at Zhangzhou 4

The passive reactor cavity water injection tank is an important component of the reactor cavity cooling system. It has a total height of 22 metres and has a fully enclosed fan-shaped structure with a non-uniform cross-section, planned as three integral modules. The three modules lifted in this operation have a total lifting weight of about 132.8 tonnes and a height of almost 6 metres, and were hoisted into position using a 2000-tonne crawler crane.

_{(Image: CNNC)}

Zhangzhou 4 is the fourth Hualong One unit to be built at the site. Construction of Zhangzhou 1 began in October 2019, with that of unit 2 starting in September 2020. Unit 1 entered commercial operation on 1 January last year, followed by unit 2 on 1 January this year. In September 2022, China’s State Council approved the construction of two Hualong One units as Phase II – units 3 and 4 – of the Zhangzhou plant. Construction of unit 3 began in February last year, with that of unit 4 starting in September.

_{(Image: CNNC)}

There are plans for two more Hualong One units at the plant. Once fully completed, a six-unit Zhangzhou plant would provide more than 60 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually, estimated to meet 75% of the total electricity consumption of Xiamen and Zhangzhou cities in southern Fujian.

The Zhangzhou project – with a total investment of over CNY100 billion (USD14 billion) – is owned by CNNC-Guodian Zhangzhou Energy Company, a joint venture between CNNC (51%) and China Guodian Corporation (49%).