A second generating unit at Tianwan nuclear power plant, a Sino-Russian cooperation project on the east China coast, has been successfully connected to the local power grid.

The link-up occurred on Sunday after approval was obtained from the National Nuclear Safety Administration and from the Northern Station for Nuclear and Radiation Safety Monitoring with the State Environmental Protection Bureau, according to China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), a leading shareholder in the plant.

Tianwan nuclear power plant is the largest ever technological and economic cooperation project between China and Russia.

The Tianwan plant, in Lianyungang, a port city in Jiangsu Province, will have four generating units and space for four more.

In the first-phase development which begun in October 1999, two 1,060 MW AES-91 pressurized water reactors made by a Russian company would be installed.

The first generating unit was connected to the grid in May last year. It began generating at full capacity on Jan. 9. By May 1, it had generated 2.08 billion kwh of electricity, of which, 1.86 billion kwh was transmitted to the grid.

In accordance with a plan for trial operation, the first generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in late June, and the second in late December, said CNNC sources.

In addition to Tianwan plant, five more nuclear plants -- the first, second, third phases of Qinshan nuclear power plant, Daya Bay and Ling'ao -- are also connected to the grids.

The Chinese government is promoting the nuclear power sector by aiming at an installation of 40,000 MW by 2020, which will then only account for four percent of the national total capacity.

Source: Xinhua