Russia and China today signed the final acceptance protocol for the nuclear island of unit 3 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant, which transfers ownership to the Chinese customer for permanent operation. The protocol was signed by Alexey Bannik, vice president of ASE Group, Rosatom's engineering division, and Zhang Yi, deputy general director of Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation.

Alexey Likhachov at the signing ceremony (Image: Rosatom)

The signing ceremony took place during Rosatom Director General Alexey Likhachov's working visit to the Tianwan plant, where he met with the head of the China Atomic Energy Authority, Zhang Kejian.

Likhachov noted that Tianwan units 3 and 4 had been put into commercial operation "in record time". The plant is "a vivid example of the highest skills of Russian and Chinese nuclear scientists, the best confirmation of the synergy of the personal and professional contribution of each employee", he said. 

Likhachov and Kejian also visited the site allocated for the construction of VVER-1200 units 7 and 8. They said they hoped first concrete of unit 7 would be poured in December, five months ahead of schedule.

The Tianwan plant consists of four VVER-1000 units. The first two were put into warranty operation in 2007, while the second two entered commercial operation in 2018. In June 2018, during Russian President Vladmimir Putin's state visit to China, the two countries signed an intergovernmental protocol and a framework contract for the construction of units 7 and 8. A signing ceremony for the general contract for their construction was signed in Beijing in March last year.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News