China General Nuclear (NGC) announced that it had connected Fangchenggang Unit 1 to the grid Monday.
The unit, which will undergo a 168-hour full power load test, is the first of six planned for the site. Construction of the CPR-1000 reactor, with an installed capacity of 1,080 megawatts of electricity, was begun in 2010. It is expected to begin commercial operation before the end of the year with Unit 2 of the same design advancing to commercial status in 2016.
The power plant, which first achieved a critical reaction on 13 October with 157 fuel assemblies in place, is 45 miles from the Vietnam border in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in South China.
Beyond Unit 2, the reactors planned are different designs. Units 3 and 4 are based on Hualong One reactors, according to the World Nuclear Association. Units 5 and 6 will be AP1000 pressurized water reactors.
CGN is the majority owner with a 61 percent stake in the project, while Guangxi Investment Group holds a 39 percent stake.
China is the world leader, by far, of nuclear plant construction with 24 projects under way, which, if construction targets are met, would roughly double the country's nuclear power electricity generation by 2020.