The loading of the first group of fuel assemblies into unit 6 at China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC)’s Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in Lianyungang city, East China’s Jiangsu province, began on April 14. The loading marks the moment that unit 6 enters its nuclear commissioning stage, and is a key step towards the completion of the Tianwan Phase III Project.

The loading of nuclear fuel into the reactor pressure vessel in the form of fresh nuclear fuel assemblies, enabling the nuclear power project to start commissioning with nuclear fuel, is also a key step that is required before grid-connected power generation.

A total of five units at the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant have been put into commercial operation. They have to date generated electricity of more than 260 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), which is equivalent to reducing standard coal consumption by 80 million tons, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 200 million tons, or planting 870,000 hectares of trees.