At 11:58 on May 21, 2024, Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Unit 1 under China Nuclear Power successfully completed the thermal performance test, marking that the primary main pump of the unit has all stopped operation. This milestone has laid a solid foundation for the next key steps such as unit charging and grid-connected power generation. According to the established plan, Zhangzhou Nuclear power Unit 1 is expected to officially generate electricity within this year.

The thermal test is a critical and comprehensive test phase, mainly by starting the main pump operation and using the pressurizer electric heater, the reactor coolant system to achieve and maintain a specific temperature and pressure level under the hot shutdown condition. During this phase, a series of commissioning tests and periodic operational tests are performed on a number of specific test platforms. The purpose of this stage is to fully verify the reliability and performance of the equipment and systems on the nuclear and conventional islands in hot operation conditions as close as possible to the actual operating conditions of the nuclear power plant, and to ensure that their relevant parameters meet the pre-set design requirements. Through such tests, it is possible to ensure that the nuclear power plant can work safely and efficiently after it is put into operation.

As the national name card of China's nuclear power, Hualong One is a third-generation nuclear power model with high global acceptance, marking a major breakthrough in China's nuclear power technology. It generates more than 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year to meet the needs of one million people, while significantly reducing carbon emissions, equivalent to planting more than 70 million trees. Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Project as the starting point of Hualong One batch construction, Unit 1 is expected to be put into operation in 2024, Unit 2 is ready for cold test, Unit 3 has been started, and Unit 4 is scheduled to start within the year.

During the thermal performance test of Zhangzhou Nuclear Power Unit 1, the project team actively implemented the overall and collaborative strategic deployment of the Group company and strictly followed the high-quality fine management model of six controls and seven zeros. The participating units, such as CNNC Engineering, CNNC No. 23, CNNC No. 24 and CNNC No. 5, have made full use of the advantages of collaborative operations and successfully completed a series of 111 commissioning tests of diesel generators at full load, passivation of the main system, and non-nuclear steam revolution of turbine generators, as well as 73 regular operation tests in accordance with the highest standards and the most stringent requirements.

This comprehensive drill fully verified the effectiveness and safety of Unit 1's main system, safety system and auxiliary system under hot conditions. The professional expert team formed by China Nuclear Power provided valuable guidance in problem diagnosis and experience feedback, and provided strong support for the successful completion of the test. At the same time, officials from the nuclear safety regulatory department conducted strict nuclear safety supervision throughout the process to ensure the smooth progress of project construction and unit commissioning.Editor/Zhang Liyuan