A hemispherical dome was successfully installed on the No. 8 unit of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in Lianyungang, a city of east China's Jiangsu province, on April 15, marking the completion of the hoisting of the country's heaviest dome for a nuclear reactor.
Weighing 208.8 tons, the dome was lifted by a 2,000-ton crawler crane and smoothly hooked onto the circular belt to form an integral part of the dome, serving as a crucial barrier to protect the safety of the nuclear reactor.
The No. 7 and 8 units of the Tianwan nuclear power plant are expected to be put into operation in 2026 and 2027 respectively. Upon completion, it will have an installed capacity of over 9 million kW and provide clean electricity of 70 billion kWh every year, equivalent to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 57.4 million tons per year.
The Tianwan nuclear power plant is set to construct eight units, making it the world's largest nuclear power base in terms of total installed capacity under construction and in operation. The No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 units of the nuclear power plant have cumulatively produced over 420 billion kWh of electricity, which can meet the power demand of more than 100 million Chinese households for 1.6 years. It will become an important force in safeguarding the country's energy security and achieving its carbon peaking and neutrality goals.