Dongfang Electric Machinery Co. and Alstom have shipped the first of two turbine generators for reactors under construction in Taishan, China. At 1,750 megawatts apiece, their output will be the highest in the world.
China Guangdong Nuclear Power Co. and EDF hired the manufacturers in 2008 to provide Alstom Arabelle turbine generator packages for the project, according to Alstom sales literature. Chinese state media reported that the first was completed and began making its journey from Sichuan Province to Guangdong Province on Saturday.
CGNPC and EDF are building the large reactors using Areva's Generation III EPR technology. According to the World Nuclear Association, crews poured the first concrete at Taishan in 2009. The first unit is expected to be finished early in 2014 with the second unit a year behind it. Site work has begun for another two units, also of the EPR design.