The Linglong 1 Photo: CNNC

The lower cylinder of the steel containment of the world's first commercial modular small reactor on land, the Linglong 1, was successfully lifted into position on Saturday in Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in South China's Hainan Province, completing the milestone 46 days ahead of schedule, according to media reports. 

The lower cylinder of the steel containment has an overall height of 15 meters with a structural weight of about 450 tons, while its total lifting weight can reach 665 tons and assembled with 32 flaps from 4 layers, science media stdaily.com reported on Saturday. 

The lower cylinder constitutes a steel containment of the reactor plant together with the bottom head, upper cylinder and top head, which is an important safety barrier for the reactor while ensuring the integrity and the sealing of the plant. 

Launched by China National Nuclear Corporation, the multipurpose modular small reactor technology demonstration project officially started its construction in July, 2021, which will have a power generation capacity of 125,000 kilowatts, according to Xinhua News Agency.  

Unlike 3rd-generation large reactors such as the Hualong 1, the Linglong 1 can realize multiple outputs of nuclear energy, such as heat supply for cities, industrial steam, seawater desalination, oil exploitation and a variety of needs on top of electricity generating. 

The Linglong 1 became the first small reactor across the globe to pass the International Atomic Energy Agency's safety review in 2016. 

Global Times