New | China’s nuclear reactor designed by US-based Westinghouse to start running from June 2017, after 3-year delay

The world’s first Westinghouse AP1000 nuclear reactor will go into operation in June next year, more than three years behind the original schedule, the head of China’s leading state nuclear project developer said.

“We are forecasting that if everything goes smoothly, the first unit will go into operation in June 2017 and the second unit at the end of 2017,” said Sun Qin, the chairman of the China National Nuclear Corporation, on the sidelines of the annual session of parliament.

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“Construction has been delayed three years. At first we planned on December 2013, but there was just no way, with key pieces of equipment not available,” he said.

The “third-generation” reactor, designed by the US-based Westinghouse, has been plagued by delays brought about by design flaws and problems with key components. Sun said new coolant pumps for the two reactor units only arrived at the end of last year.

Westinghouse is a unit of Japan’s Toshiba Corp.

A rival third-generation design, the European Pressurised Reactor, has faced similar problems, with projects in France, Finland and China all delayed.