China: Framatome welcomes Taishan 1 grid connection, the first EPR reactor in the world

Taishan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1 has been successfully connected to the Chinese grid at 5:59 pm on June 29, 2018 (local time). After the first criticality reached on June 6, this is the first EPR reactor worldwide to be producing electricity.

“The successful grid connection of the Taishan 1 nuclear power plant is a historical moment for Framatome and for the whole nuclear industry. It is the result of years of engineering carried out by our company and a fruitful cooperation with our client TNPJVC as well as with CGN and EDF, our main shareholder and partner. We are now focused on supporting our client in the start of commercial operation of unit 1. We also remain fully engaged in the completion and start-up of Taishan 2, Flamanville 3 and Olkiluoto 3, and in the delivery of Hinkley Point C in the United Kingdom. All current and future EPR projects will also benefit from the broad experience acquired by our teams”, said Bernard Fontana, Chairman of the Managing Board and Chief Executive Officer of Framatome.

Bernard Fontana further underlined that “the French-Chinese 30-year cooperation in nuclear energy is exemplary. Since the construction of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, Framatome has a historical strong presence in China During all these years we have been cooperating with our Chinese partners through a comprehensive localization process to develop its domestic industry further.”

The EPR technology designed and developed by Framatome is based on the strong track record of the company in the field of nuclear new builds, both in France and abroad. As a Generation III+ reactor it represents further progress in plant safety and attains very competitive operational costs at the same time.

The Taishan project is one of the largest cooperation projects in the energy sector between China and France. China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), EDF and Guangdong Yudian Group invested jointly in the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. Framatome has contributed major parts of the plant’s nuclear scope including nuclear steam supply system, safety instrumentation & control, procurement and support to erection and commissioning.

Taishan Unit 1 started construction in 2009, and Unit 2 started construction in 2010. The EPR reactor in Taishan Unit 1 has an installed capacity of 1,660 MWe and can deliver reliable low carbon electricity to more than 4 million Chinese households.