The No. 5 unit of the Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Plant Photo:CCTV

The sixth generator of the Hongyanhe nuclear power plant in Liaoning Province - the last unit of the first nuclear power plant in Northeast China - was successfully connected to the grid on Monday, paving way for the unit to enter commercial operation as scheduled within 2022, Hongyanhe Nuclear Power said.

The step indicates that the sixth unit has the capacity to generate electricity. All major indexes linked to the unit are normal and up to the standards , with the unit also running quite well during the grid connecting process, and a series of tests will be carried out to further demonstrate the generator meet conditions for entering commercial operation.

Construction of the fifth and sixth units - the second phase of Hongyanhe nuclear power plant project - began in 2015, and the fifth unit entered production in July 2021. Both of the units adopt ACPR 1000 technology that includes the major technical advances and safety features of the third-generation nuclear power generators.

The generators of the first four units, or the first phase of the nuclear power plant, were put into operation in 2016. The two phases of the nuclear power plant have received more than 80 billion yuan ($12.38 billion) in investment, making it the largest energy investment project in Northeast China to date.

As of the end of 2021, Hongyanhe power plant has generated on-grid electricity of 194.4 billion kilowatt-hours, not only providing abundant electricity to Northeast China's industrial base but also playing an active role in adjusting the energy structure in the region. The amount of electricity generated is equivalent to reducing coal consumption by 59.11 million tons, which help cut carbon dioxide emission by 163 million tons.

Global Times