SPIC Haiyang Nuclear Power Unit 3 Hot Functional Test Successfully Completed

At 17:30 on August 13, the hot functional test (HFT) of Unit 3 at SPIC Shandong Nuclear Power Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant was successfully completed, laying a solid foundation for subsequent fuel loading and first grid connection of the unit.

▲Aerial view of Shandong Nuclear Power Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant.

The hot functional test is the most critical non-nuclear comprehensive verification phase before nuclear fuel loading, often referred to as the "final exam" or "mock exam" before a nuclear power plant officially generates electricity. By executing a series of tests simulating actual operating conditions within the pressure and temperature ranges of normal reactor operation, it comprehensively verifies the reliability of nuclear island and conventional island systems and equipment under hot operating conditions, ensuring that relevant parameters meet design requirements.

▲On July 4, during the normal residual heat removal system (RNS) test at the heat-up platform of the hot functional test, members of Shift 1 Main Control Room for Unit 3 from the Operations Division 2 of Shandong Nuclear Power were reviewing commissioning test documents and coordinating commissioning operations.

Located in Haiyang City, Shandong Province, the Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant is the first nuclear power plant in Shandong Province and the first for SPIC. The site plans to house six 1,000 MW-class nuclear power units, with space reserved for two additional units, forming a 10 GW-class nuclear power base. Units 3 and 4 of the Phase II project of Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant adopt the independently designed and fully localized CAP1000 technology. To date, 46 milestone nodes have been completed as planned. Once fully operational, the four units at Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant will generate up to 40 billion kWh annually, capable of meeting half of the residential electricity demand in Shandong Province.

Shandong Nuclear Power, together with Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute and other participating organizations, established a hot functional test headquarters to fully prepare for and execute the test. The hot functional test spanned 11 heat-up and cool-down test platforms, completing a total of 53 commissioning test procedures, 308 test sections, and 30 periodic tests. Multiple transient tests, including turbine non-nuclear steam rolling and main coolant pump coast-down, were successfully completed in a single pass, comprehensively verifying the hot performance, interface coordination accuracy, and regulation responsiveness of all unit systems.

▲On August 13, during the automatic depressurization system (ADS) test, personnel from all participating organizations worked in close coordination to ensure the test succeeded on the first attempt.

During the hot functional test, Shandong Nuclear Power simultaneously organized the Unit 3 HFT Party-League campaign and special labor competition. Six Party member vanguard teams and four youth commando teams were formed, covering five organizations, breaking down professional barriers and strengthening collaborative coordination to achieve the goals of "zero safety incidents, zero quality deviations, and zero collaboration barriers" in the hot functional test.

It is reported that construction of Unit 3 at Shandong Nuclear Power Haiyang Nuclear Power Plant began in July 2022. Following this hot functional test, the unit will strive to achieve fuel loading and first grid connection within this year.