CPR-1000

The CPR-1000, or CPR1000 (Chinese PWR) is a Generation II+ pressurized water reactor, based on the French 900 MWe three cooling loop design (M310) imported in the 1980s, improved to have a slightly increased net power output of 1,000 MWe (1080 MWe gross) and a 60-year design life.

The CPR-1000 is built and operated by the China General Nuclear Power Group (CGNPG), formerly known as China Guangdong Nuclear Power. Progressively more Chinese manufactured components were used in the units; the second unit built had 70% of its equipment manufactured in China, with a 90% Chinese content target for later builds.^[1]

On 15 July 2010, China's first CPR-1000 nuclear power plant, Ling Ao-3, was connected to the grid,^[2] having started criticality testing on 11 June 2010.^[3] It started commercial operations on 27 September 2010,^[4] with Ling Ao-4 starting commercial operation on 7 August 2011.^[5]

18 CPR-1000 reactors have been built as of December 2019.^[6] Besides Ling Ao unit 3 & 4, the CPR-1000 reactor has been realised in Fangchenggang (unit 1 & 2), Fangjiashan (unit 1 & 2), Hongyanhe (unit 1–4), Ningde (unit 1–4), Yangjiang (unit 1–4).^[7]

On the basis of the M310, CGN developed an improved Generation II pressurized water reactor called CPR-1000.^[8] CPR-1000 takes a large proportion in all the reactors being built in China. The M310 uses as its base design units 5 & 6 of the Gravelines Nuclear Power Station in France.^[1]

The CPR-1000 has a 1086 MWe capacity, a three-loop design and 157 fuel assemblies (active length 12 ft), enriched to 4.5% U-235. The fuel assembly design is AREVA's 17x17 AFA 3G M5, which can be fabricated in China. Other features include has a design life that could extend beyond 40 years and an 18-month fuel cycle. It has a digital instrumentation and control system, and is equipped with hydrogen recombiners and containment spray pumps.^[9]

The original M310 reactors at Daya Bay and Ling Ao Phase 1 are sometimes also called CPR-1000s, but these are closely based on the French 900 MW_e design (M310), with net power output below 1,000 MW_e, and using mostly imported components.^[10]

Some CPR-1000 intellectual property rights are retained by Areva, which limits overseas sales potential.^[6] However the Financial Times reported in 2010 that Areva was considering marketing the CPR-1000 as a smaller and simpler second-generation reactor design alongside its larger EPR, for countries that are new to nuclear power.^[11][12] In January 2012, CGNPG agreed a partnership with Areva and EDF to develop a reactor based on the CPR-1000,^[13] which may create a design converged with Mitsubishi and Areva's 1000 MWe Atmea reactor.^[14]

CNP-1000 is a similar 3-loop-design by CNNC, but with a different reactor core.

In 2010, CGNPG announced a further design evolution to a Generation III level, the ACPR-1000, which would also replace intellectual property right-limited components from the CPR-1000. CGNPG aimed to be able to independently market the ACPR-1000 for export by 2013.^[15] CGNPG has been conducting the development work in cooperation with Dongfang Electric, Shanghai Electric, Harbin Electric, China First Heavy Industries and China Erzhong.^[16]

The core of the ACPR1000 comprises 157 fuel assemblies (active length 14 ft) and has a design life of 60 years.^[9] Other features include a core catcher and double containment as additional safety measures^[17] and ten major technical improvements over its predecessor the CPR-1000. It was the first Chinese reactor to have a domestically developed digital control system.^[18] Unit 5 and 6 at Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant are similarly classified as ACPRs.

Yangjiang 5 was the first construction of an ACPR-1000 reactor, starting in late 2013.^[19] It began commercial operation in July 2018.

Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, a revised design called at the time ACPR-1000+ was described. Features include double containment to protect against external explosions and airplanes, improved seismic capability to 0.3 g, increased core thermal margins and improved operation systems.^[20] The gross power output has been increased to 1150 MWe.^[21] The ACPR-1000+ was envisaged for export from 2014.^[13]

Since 2011, CNNC has been progressively merging its ACP-1000 nuclear power station design^[22] with the CGN ACPR-1000 design, while allowing some differences, under direction of the Chinese nuclear regulator. Both are three-loop designs originally based on the same French M310 design used in Daya Bay with 157 fuel assemblies, but went through different development processes (CNNC's ACP-1000 has a more domestic design with 177 fuel assemblies while CGN's ACPR-1000 is a closer copy with 157 fuel assemblies).^[23] In early 2014, it was announced that the merged design was moving from preliminary design to detailed design. Power output will be 1150 MWe, with a 60-year design life, and would use a combination of passive and active safety systems with a double containment. CNNC's 177 fuel assembly design was retained.

Initially the merged design was to be called the ACC-1000,^[24][25][26] but ultimately it was named Hualong One. In August 2014 the Chinese nuclear regulator review panel classified the design as a Generation III reactor design, with independently owned intellectual property rights.^[27][28] As a result of the success of the merger, ACP-1000 and ACPR-1000 designs are no longer being offered.

• Generation II reactor
• Generation III reactor
• Nuclear power
• Nuclear power in China

• CPR1000 Design, Safety Performance and Operability, Steven Lau, Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations and Management Company, 5 July 2011.
• The Proprietary Brand Technology of Chinese Nuclear Power 1000MW – CPR1000, Dr. Shaozhang Cui, President, China Nuclear Power Design Company, ISSNP 2008.
• China’s “Hualong 1” passes the first stage of the UK GDA process, Euan Mearns / Andy Dawson, Energy Matters, 24 November 2017.