China's nuclear regulator issues construction licences for Haiyang units 5 and 6

BEIJING, Oct 29 — China's National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA) issued construction licences on Oct 29 for units 5 and 6 of the Shandong Haiyang nuclear power project, allowing the operator to begin pouring the first concrete for the unit 5 nuclear island foundation.

The NNSA said in its notice that it had reviewed the construction applications of Shandong Nuclear Power Third Nuclear Energy Co. It found that the documents complied with national laws and nuclear safety regulations, and that the design principles and safety-related activities of the two units met China's nuclear safety requirements.

The licences are numbered 2622 for unit 5 and 2623 for unit 6, and the unit 5 licence is valid until Oct 28, 2036, according to the attached licence documents. Under the unit 5 licence, any extension of construction after the licence expires requires NNSA review and approval.

An NNSA inspection team found the unit 5 site ready for the first concrete pour of the nuclear island foundation, the notice said.

For unit 6, the regulator set that first pour as a control point, a step that may not proceed until it is released. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment's North China Nuclear and Radiation Safety Supervision Station will oversee and release the control points, the notice said.

Under the licences, main pipeline welding is also a control point for both units, and the company must report construction progress to the NNSA. The unit 5 licence also requires the company to seek approval before changing its preliminary safety analysis report or other committed documents.

The notice, dated Oct 29, was issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Oct 30. It was copied to the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, the Shandong provincial government and State Power Investment Corporation, among others.