A scene of Fuqing nuclear power, where the world's first reactor of "Hualong-1" was taken on September 1 (drone photo). Xinhua News Agency (Courtesy of Fujian Fuqing Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. of CNNC)
Fuzhou, 21 Oct (Xinhua) -- At 15:09 on the 21st, the world's first reactor of China's independent third-generation nuclear power "Hualong No. 1" -- The Fuqing Nuclear Power Unit 5 of CNNC reached a critical state for the first time, marking that the unit officially entered the state of operation with power and took an important step towards completion and operation.
According to the person in charge of Fuqing Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. of CNNC, the ignition process of nuclear reactors in nuclear power plants is critically similar to that of boilers in conventional thermal power plants, and it is also like pacing the heart. After the criticality, the core, which is the "heart" of the reactor, will begin to "beat" continuously, and the reactor will be in a state of nuclear equilibrium operation.
Staff of the East China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station verify the release at the scene (photo taken on October 20). Xinhua News Agency (Courtesy of Fujian Fuqing Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. of CNNC)
With the approval of the State Nuclear Safety Administration, the East China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station verified the release, and Fuqing Nuclear Power Unit 5 began the reactor critical operation. By diluting the first-loop boron concentration and lifting the control rod operation, the reactor reached a critical state for the first time. During the critical process of the unit, Fuqing Nuclear Power and the participating units operated in strict accordance with the technical regulations, the whole process was smooth and orderly, and the system operating parameters were normal.
"Hualong No. 1" is a third-generation nuclear power technology with completely independent property rights in China, and it is the "national business card" of China's nuclear power to the world. The world's first reactor of "Hualong No. 1", Fuqing Nuclear Power Unit 5, started construction in May 2015 and successfully completed the loading of 177 sets of fuel components in September this year.
Workers work in the main control room of The world's first reactor fuqing nuclear power unit 5 of "Hualong No. 1" (photographed on October 10). Xinhua News Agency (Courtesy of Fujian Fuqing Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. of CNNC)