The 44-metre diameter lower tier of the inner containment dome, weighing 391 tonnes, has been lifted into position on the seventh unit of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in China.
A crane with a 2000-tonne capacity was moved to the construction site to complete the lift.
The next stage is to complete the installation work on the assembly of the upper tier of the sealed lining before work moves on to installation of the reactor vessel, steam generators and other key installation work inside the reactor building.
The plant uses a double containment to maximise safety, with reinforced concrete protecting the plant from external hazards including natural disasters such as earthquakes.
The Tianwan plant is being built by Russia’s Rosatom, and the latest landmark moment came two years since China’s President Xi Jinping and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin took part in a virtual ceremony to mark first concrete on the unit.
Alexei Bannik, vice president for projects in China and advanced projects at JSC Atomstroyexport, said: “This project is a good example of successful cooperation between Russia and China. For several decades, specialists from our countries have been jointly building the latest nuclear power units, improving and optimising production processes, confidently stepping towards technological sovereignty.”
In June 2018, Russia and China signed four agreements, including for the construction of two VVER-1200 reactors as units 7 and 8 of the Tianwan plant, in Jiangsu province. They are scheduled to be commissioned in 2026-2027.
Source: World Nuclear News
