Unit 5 at Tianwan nuclear plant in China's Jiangsu province, began commercial operation on 8 September, China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced. This brings the total number of CNNC’s operating nuclear units to 22, and the installed capacity to 20,000MWe. 

Tianwan 5 has a rated capacity of 1118MWe and uses Chinese-designed ACPR1000 pressurised water reactor technology. The unit started construction in December 2015. China's National Nuclear Safety Administration issued a 40-year operating licence for Tianwan 5 on 7 July and fuel loading was completed two days later. The reactor achieved first criticality in July and was connected to the electricity grid on 8 August.

Tianwan 6 is expected to be put into commercial operation by the end of 2021. The localisation rate for Tianwan 5&6 now exceeds 95%, CNNC said.

The first four units at the Tianwan site are Russian-supplied Gidropress VVER-1000 units. Units 7&8 will also be supplied by Russia under a general contract signed in 2019. Tianwan 7&8 will be equipped with Generation 3+ VVER-1200 reactors. Construction of unit 7 is expected to begin in 2020. Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation is owner and operator of the Tianwan plant  - a joint venture between CNNC (50%), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%).

Photo: Panoramic view of China's Tianwan nuclear power plant (Photo credit: CNNC)