Behind the capping of "Linglong No. 1", how does Hainan Nuclear Power explore the road of green development?

The picture shows an aerial panorama of the Hainan Nuclear Power Base. Photo courtesy of Liu Xuan of Hainan Nuclear Power

In the early morning of November 3, the top head of the steel containment head of the "Linglong No. 1" steel containment of the Hainan Nuclear Power Base was successfully hoisted into place. The last piece of the "puzzle" was successfully put together, marking the capping of the key structure of "Linglong No. 1" and entering the peak period of internal installation. The world's first small modular reactor (SMR) to pass the IAEA safety review is being installed and will be put into operation in 2026.

A few days ago, the 7th Nuclear Safety Culture Media Tour, jointly sponsored by the Hainan Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Office and the Propaganda Department of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, walked into China's southernmost nuclear power base and visited Hainan's "No. 1 Energy Project" up close. The projects under construction in the base are called "three piles to build together, and Shuanglong to fly together", among which "Linglong No. 1" is particularly eye-catching.

Develop an efficient, low-carbon and green energy economy

Hainan Nuclear Power Base is located in Haiwei Town, Changjiang Li Autonomous County, northwest of Hainan Province, and is the southernmost nuclear power base in China. Walking into the nuclear power plant, the multi-purpose modular small nuclear reactor "Linglong No. 1" unit is under construction, and it is noon, and many workers are still busy on the construction site.

According to the on-site hoisting staff, the hoisting completed the last step of the steel containment to form a whole, providing a more complete and reliable protective barrier for the reactor core module, reactor internals, voltage regulators and other important equipment that have been introduced in advance.

Linglong No. 1, short for Hainan Changjiang Multipurpose Modular Small Reactor Science and Technology Demonstration Project, is an innovative nuclear reactor developed by China National Nuclear Corporation with independent intellectual property rights.

According to the IAEA, a small reactor is a reactor with an electrical power of less than 300,000 kilowatts. With a design power of 125,000 kilowatts, "Linglong No. 1" can be used for various purposes such as urban heating, industrial steam supply, seawater desalination, oil exploitation and replacement of coal-fired thermal power units, and is suitable for various application scenarios such as parks, mining areas, and self-provided energy of high-energy-consuming enterprises. Compared with traditional pressurized water reactor nuclear power units, Linglong No. 1 has advanced and innovative technologies such as miniaturization, modularization and integration, and has the advantages of high safety, good flexibility and wide range of uses.

It is understood that after the completion and operation of "Linglong No. 1", it is expected to generate 1 billion kWh of electricity per year, which can meet the electricity demand of 526,000 households in Hainan. At the same time, it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 880,000 tons per year, which is equivalent to planting 7.5 million trees a year. Under the national "dual carbon" goal, it will effectively promote the innovative and green development of Hainan Province, help the construction of Hainan "Clean Energy Island", and provide stable and reliable clean energy for Hainan Province.

Guarding the safety lifeline of the nuclear industry

The safety of nuclear power plants is an issue that cannot be ignored in the process of promoting and applying nuclear power technology, and it is also the focus of public attention.

"'Linglong No. 1' has small power and few source items, and the emergency planning area can be controlled within the boundaries of the plant, which can technically realize that there is no need for off-site emergency intervention and high safety. Xu Chunsong, director of the environmental emergency department of Hainan Nuclear Power Co., Ltd., said that "Linglong No. 1" adopts a completely passive safety system, using natural phenomena to ensure the safety of the reactor, and can be without human intervention for a long time after the accident. Natural phenomena such as water flow low due to gravity, and in the design of small piles, there is a water tank at the top, and when it is necessary to export residual heat, it can be used to flow down with gravity and take the residual heat away.

In terms of equipment structure, nuclear power plants have multiple means to ensure that the fission reaction of nuclear fuel is controllable, and there are multiple safety measures to ensure safety, and in case of danger, these devices can automatically stop the nuclear reaction without human intervention. In order to prevent the leakage of radioactive materials during daily operation, the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant Base in Hainan has also set up a complete safety barrier.

"There are four safety barriers in a nuclear reactor, and as long as one of them is intact, there will be no nuclear leakage. Tang Haiping, deputy director of the Hainan Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Office, said that the nuclear reactor has a total of four safety barriers from the inside to the outside, fuel, cladding, pressure and containment, as long as one of the barriers is complete, there will be no radioactive material leakage accident. According to the estimates of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, the radiation dose produced by the normal operation of nuclear power plants around the world to the surrounding public is negligible with the average natural background radiation dose received by individual members of the public.

Through the on-site visit, the media reporters were deeply impressed by the nuclear safety construction system of Hainan Nuclear Power. In the radiation monitoring sub-station of Sanlian New Village, real-time monitoring data is displayed on the display screen, and there are a total of 10 such monitoring sub-stations around the Changjiang nuclear power plant for daily monitoring. Not far from the radiation monitoring substation, there is an emergency communication "super base station", which is different from other communication base stations, in emergency situations, it can ensure the normal communication of about 3,000 people, and the time lasts for 7 days.

"In order to protect the environment and ensure public safety, since the start of construction of the Hainan nuclear power project, the Hainan Provincial Nuclear Emergency Office and Hainan Nuclear Power have jointly promoted the construction of the provincial nuclear safety culture system, nuclear emergency plan system and nuclear emergency response capability system. Tang Haiping, deputy director of the Hainan Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Office, said that at present, the nuclear emergency response system is running smoothly and the duty system is effectively implemented, which has been unanimously recognized by the National Nuclear Safety Administration and the National Nuclear Emergency Response Office.

Explore the path of harmonious coexistence between man and nature

Tens of thousands of white lipped oysters have been put into the sea not far from the nuclear power plant for trial breeding, and the survival rate is more than 95%. In the sea area where the white lipped mussel grows, the water quality must meet the first-class standard. The nuclear power base coexists in harmony with the natural environment, drawing a "green picture".

On the west side of the plant, the reporters were attracted by a wetland-like drainage area. It is called a wetland because it is home to a variety of birds, such as egrets, wagtails, and turtle doves, and water buffalo raised by nearby villagers graze on this "wetland".

Xu Chunsong believes that having a beautiful ecological environment is the direction that Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant has been working towards. Because the nuclear power plant is connected to Qiziwan and Haiwei Wetland Park, it has positioned itself as an industrial tourism base, and has carried out science popularization and public opening activities to tourists, surrounding schools and villagers.

At present, nuclear power plants carry out relevant science popularization activities by opening observation decks, simulation machine rooms, docks and nuclear culture exhibition halls to the public. In the past two years, the nuclear power plant has received nearly 20,000 tourists from all walks of life, allowing the public to understand and "touch" nuclear power up close.

"Under the premise of strict supervision and complete emergency facilities, nuclear power is a very safe and clean energy. But it will take time to clear up the 'misunderstanding' to the public. At present, the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant is actively playing the role of an industrial tourism base, striving to carry out more public opening activities, and actively doing a good job in publicity and popular science education. Xu Chunsong said.

For the Changjiang Nuclear Power Plant in Hainan, the construction of nuclear safety and nuclear emergency response culture is only in progress, and there is no termination.