China Nuclear Industry 23 Construction Company (CNI23) has signed a contract for the installation of the nuclear islands for units 3 and 4 at China’s Fangchenggang NPP in the Guangxi Autonomous Region. Both units are to be China’s indigenous Hualong One design. A statement said the contract was signed on between CNI23, a subsidiary of China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation (CNECC), and CGN subsidiary China Nuclear Power Engineering Company. Hualong One is the first Generation III design for which China has owned all intellectual property rights. It is a combination of China National Nuclear Corporation’s (CNNC’s) ACP1000 and China General Nuclear Power’s ACPR1000+ designs.

The Fangchenggang NPP will have six reactors. Fangchenggang-1, a CPR-1000 unit, entered commercial operation on 1 January 2016. Fangchenggang-2 was connected to the grid in July 2016 and is scheduled to enter commercial operation by the end of 2016. Fangchenggang-5 and -6 will be AP1000 reactors. CNECC said CNI23 has already carried out much advanced technology and management research to ensure the quality of the Fangchenggang units 3 and 4 project. The plant is 39% owned by Guangxi Investment Group and 61% owned by CGN.

CNNC is building units 5 and 6 of its Fuqing plant in Fujian province as a demonstration Hualong One project. Both units should be in operation by 2020.

Hualong International Nuclear Power Technology - a joint venture between CGN and CNNC to promote the Hualong One reactor design in export markets - was officially inaugurated in March.