New generating unit operational at E China nuclear power station

The second generating unit of the nuclear power station in Ningde City in east China's Fujian Province began commercial operations on Sunday after 168 hours of test runs, the operator said.

The Ningde nuclear power station is the first of its kind in Fujian Province. Its first generating unit was put into commercial run on April 1 last year.

The power plant now has an installed capacity of 2.178 megawatts, generating 13 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, or 7.64 percent of Fujian's total electricity consumption in 2013.

Units 3 and 4 of the nuclear power station will be completed and start operations around 2015, said Li Yinong, general manager of the Fujian Ningde Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.

Including the new unit, the Chinese mainland now has 19 nuclear generating units in operation, with a total installed capacity of 16.95 megawatts, according to Li.