Rosatom: Reactor pit liner structure has been installed at power unit №3 of Xudapu NPP (China)

Huludao (Liaoning Province), November 24 - Neftegaz.RU. The reactor pit liner structure, with the weight of 120 t and height of 9 m, was installed in the design position at power unit №3 of Xudapu NPP being constructed under VVER-1200 Russian design in China.

The reactor pit liner acts as a permanent formwork during concreting for the further installation of the core catcher and the reactor vessel - key production operations during the unit construction.

The reactor is installed in a concrete shaft, the equipment of which provides biological protection from the reactor core radiation, reliable fixation of the reactor taking into account seismic loads and thermal insulation along the outer surface.

Valery Kedrov, Director for Design of NPPs with VVER Reactors in China, Atomenergoproekt, said:

• The peculiarity of the procedure was that the structure was installed in the design position with already mounted reinforcing bars for the future wall around
• Due to this, it was possible to significantly accelerate the construction period

The process of installing the structure of the reactor pit liner required special accuracy - the deviation from the axes of the reactor pit should not exceed 1 mm, and this is only one of a great number of strict requirements.

Aleksey Bannik, the VP for Projects in China of ASE, noted:

• Currently, despite strict restrictive quarantine measures, the works at the facility are being carried out in 3 shifts, in accordance with the schedule
• By the end of 2021, the unit is on the way to start concreting the foundation slab of the steam chamber, the 1^st floors of the security building and the auxiliary building, as well as pouring the lower walls of the control building

In accordance with the contracts, the Russian party will design the «nuclear island» of the plant, supply key equipment for the nuclear island for both power units, provide designer supervision, installation supervision and adjustment supervision services for the equipment supplied.
Commissioning of the units is scheduled for 2027-2028.