MAJOR repair work on the first phase of the Qinshan nuclear power plant, the first Chinese facility of its kind which began operation in 1991, was completed on Saturday.
The overhaul has enormously improved the reliability and safety of the reactor and has amassed precious experience for operating, repairing and upgrading other nuclear power plants in China, said He Xiaojian, general manager of Qinshan Nuclear Power Co of China National Nuclear Power Corp.
The plant was unhooked from the East China power grid for a fuel change and technical overhaul on October 28 last year.
Ouyang Yu, designer-in-chief of the plant, said the completion of the overhaul would help prolong its lifespan.
The first phase of Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant is located at Haiyan, on the north coast of Hangzhou Bay, Zhejiang Province. It is the first nuclear power plant on the Chinese mainland, designed and built independently by domestic engineers.
Construction of the plant began in 1985. It was built with a 300,000-kilowatt prototype reactor with a lifespan of 30 years. It started generating power in 1991.
