The inner dome for unit 3 of the Changjiang nuclear power plant was successfully hoisted into place on Feb 21, in South China's Hainan province, marking the Hualong One unit's shift from the construction stage to the equipment installation stage.
The steel dome is located atop the nuclear island and is an important component in guaranteeing reactor safety. Its main function is to ensure the integrity and leak tightness of the reactor building. The dome measures about 47 meters in diameter, 24 meters in height and weighs more than 300 tons.
The second phase of the Changjiang plant is a major energy project of Hainan, and once entering commercial operation, each unit will generate approximately 10 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, meeting the annual electricity demands of up to 1 million people in Hainan. This is equivalent to reducing standard coal consumption by 3.12 million tons, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 8.16 million tons, or planting more than 70 million trees, making positive contributions to the province's building of a national pilot zone for ecological conservation and the Hainan Free Trade Port.