The stainless steel tank in the fuel building for unit 5 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant in Fuzhou. [Photo/CNNC]

The key water seal tests for the passive reactor cavity water injection tank of unit 5 at the Fuqing nuclear power plant -- in Fuzhou, in East China’s Fujian province -- got the green light recently, marking that the equipment passed the tests and qualified, local officials said.

Experts said that this marked the final stage of the installation work of the stainless steel cladding, creating conditions for the major milestones for the reactor, such as the materials loading.

Officials at China National Nuclear Corporation, or CNNC, the constructor of the reactor, said it is the world’s first nuclear power project using Hualong One technology, also known as HPR 1000, a domestically developed third-generation reactor design.

The stainless steel tank at Fuqing unit 5 started installation in December 2016 and following three years and four months, all water seal tests of the tank were qualified, laying a solid foundation for subsequent projects, CNNC official said.