China's first domestically developed third-generation nuclear reactor container using Hualong One technology was launched on Sunday, which an expert said would benefit China and the countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
The reactor container for the No.5 Unit nuclear reactor in Fuqing, Southeast China's Fujian Province, was developed by China First Heavy Industries (CFHI). The container was handed over to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) on Sunday, the People's Daily reported.
The launch of the reactor container shows that China possesses the ability to independently research and develop the third-generation nuclear technology, and that China's nuclear equipment and manufacturing ability has reached the international level, according to CNNC's website.
Gui Liming, an expert on China's nuclear safety system at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times that the reactor container is China's first independently designed and manufactured water reactor with a capacity of millions of kilowatts.
Compared to the second generation, the third-generation water reactor equipment is much more advanced in terms of safety and capacity, Gui noted.
The launch of the reactor container marks a big step in China's nuclear industry development, which will not only benefit the country but also other countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative which urgently need to develop their own nuclear power.
By November 2016, China had reached intent of cooperation with more than 20 countries, including Argentina, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Egypt and Saudi Arabia on projects using Hualong One technology, the People's Daily reported in November 2016, adding that a total of six nuclear generator systems using Hualong One were under construction.
CFHI, the manufacturer of the reactor container using Hualong One technology, told the Global Times on Monday that the third-generation reactor's structure is more complex compared with that of the second generation, which requires stricter standards.
CFHI said that the overall intensive processing technology was first adopted in manufacturing the reactor container using Hualong One, which guarantees a higher precision of each part of the container.
Up to 85 percent of the Hualong One equipment is domestically manufactured, including core devices such as reactor pressure vessel and steam generator, ensuring that Hualong One is safe and economical, the Xinhua News Agency reported in May, citing Yang Ming, a member of the Hualong One overseas project management.
China plans to reach 58 million kilowatts of installed nuclear capacity by 2020, according to the Xinhua report.
