The power plant is the first third generation pressurized water reactors in China. It will be built in three phases and will use AP 1000 technologies developed by US-based Westinghouse.
The first phase project will include two units each with a generating capacity of 1.25 million kilowatt. The first phase will be operational in 2013, and the second, in 2014. The plant will eventually have six such units.
China issued bids for the project in 2003 and Westinghouse won the contract after China signed an agreement with the US on the introduction and transfer of third-generation nuclear power technologies in December 2006.
According to the agreement China will purchase four third-generation pressurized water reactors from Westinghouse. The agreement also involves technology transfer to China.
Two of the four pressurized water reactors will be installed in Sanmen while the other two will be installed in Haiyang City, eastern Shandong province.
China’s mainland has 11 nuclear reactors at six plants, all on the east coast, with a combined capacity of 9.07 million kilowatts. Of the 11 reactors, three use domestic technologies, two are equipped with Russian technology, four with French, and two are Canadian designed.
