The province's unquenchable thirst for energy resources has motivated planners to depend more on nuclear power. In early September this year, the No. 1 generating unit of Daya Bay Nuclear Plant has been operating safely for a consecutive 1,520 days, a new record for nuclear plants in China.

According to the provincial officials, a nuclear power cluster will be built throughout the province so that by the year 2020, Guangdong will have a gross production capacity of 24 million kilowatts nuclear power, about 60 percent of the nation's total. And in the upcoming five years, completed nuclear plant projects will include Ling'ao Phase II, Yangjiang Phase I and Taishan Phase I.

WORLD-CLASS LING'AO PLANT

Guangdong was China's early bird in developing nuclear power for civil use. Shortage in natural resources was the biggest reason for this development. At present, China has a gross nuclear power generating capacity of 8.7 million kilowatts, among which Guangdong contributes 4 million. The China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co., Ltd has so far set up two large plants: Daya Bay Nuclear Plant and Ling'ao Nuclear Plant (Phase I).

Daya Bay Plant is China's first commercial nuclear power plant and started business operation in May 6, 1994. The plant now has two generators and produces 15 billion kilowatt hours of power every year, 70 percent of which is sold to Hong Kong, and the rest to Guangdong.

Ling'ao Phase I project was built with Daya Bay Plant as its model, and made up to 52 technology improvements. Ling'ao Phase I has two generating units, each with a capacity of 0.99 million kilowatts.

According to Guangdong's planning on nuclear power development for the next five years, Guangdong will work on three new nuclear power plant projects, worth a total of 73.9 billion RMB. For the first time, Guangdong will input more money in nuclear power plants construction than in traditional power stations.

Meanwhile, the province is speeding up its infrastructure construction work at the Lufeng plant in east coast.

EMERGING NUCLEAR POWER GENERATING BASE

Encouraged by the Central Government, Guangdong officials plan to expand the nuclear power plants from the coastal region to the freshwater ports in its northern part and both its east and west wings. In June 2006, Guangdong announced that it has selected 10 new sites for building nuclear power stations. Among the ten, four are in western Guangdong, three in the northern region and the rest in eastern Guangdong. These projects are now awaiting central government's approval.

Preparation work has already begun at some of these sites. For example, Sanjing Village in Qingyuan, north Guangdong, is listed among the ten sites. Now, the villagers living within the selected area have moved to a town nearby. Perhaps the site of this underdeveloped village will become a world-class nuclear power plant in the next few years.

Feasibility research of the ten sites is ongoing and earlier the Provincial Waterway Bureau has agreed to build wharfs on these ten sites. As the selected sites for the Xijiang Nuclear Power Project in Zhaoqing or Yunfu (in west Guangdong) are ideal for building wharfs, this project may be launched earlier than others.

DESIGNED IN CHINA

China's nuclear power development plan (2005-2020), was approved in March of this year and stressed that China's nuclear power industries should rely on self-design and innovation while making use of international advanced technology.

Two months later, the China Nuclear and China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, the only two companies that are authorized to build and manage nuclear plants in China, signed a contract in Beijing. China Nuclear will be responsible for technology design of nuclear islands for Ling'ao Ph-ase II. This is the first time for a Chinese company to design a million-kilowatt-capacity nuclear power facility by itself.

Besides, according to Ling'ao Phase II scheme, contracts of up to 15 core technologies and other 40-odd technology improvements went to domestic enterprises, and 70 percent of the facilities of the new plant will be made in China.

Ling'ao Phase II, and the upcoming nuclear projects in Guangdong will push China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group and the whole nuclear power industry of China forward in both self design and facility manufacturing of million-kilowatt-level nuclear generating units. This marks an evolution of China's nuclear power sector. Also, it will help Guangdong to ease power shortage and even to becoming a power supplier for the neighbouring provinces and regions.

The The province's unquenchable thirst for energy resources has motivated planners to depend more on nuclear power. In early September this year, the No. 1 generating unit of Daya Bay Nuclear Plant has been operating safely for a consecutive 1,520 days, a new record for nuclear plants in China.

According to the provincial officials, a nuclear power cluster will be built throughout the province so that by the year 2020, Guangdong will have a gross production capacity of 24 million kilowatts nuclear power, about 60 percent of the nation's

Editor: Yan