Construction got under way yesterday on the country's first 1,000 megawatt-level, domestic-built nuclear power plant in the city in south China's Guangdong Province.

The cornerstone-laying ceremony for Ling'ao II was led by Zeng Peiyan, the vice-premier of the State Council, and Zhang Dejiang, secretary of Guangdong Committee of Communist Party of China.

According to sources of China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Co Ltd (CGNPC), the Ling'ao II project will feature two generating units, each with an installed production capacity of 1,000 megawatts. The first unit is scheduled to start operating in December 2010 and the second in August 2011.

They will generate a total of 150 billion kilowatt hours every year.

Chinese companies have taken a larger role in the power plant's construction than in previous nuclear projects, according to CGNPC.

Ling'ao II is based on China-reformed pressurized water reactor technology. CGNPC spent more than 20 years to develop the technology, which is derived from France.

Ling'ao II, one of the key projects of the National 10th Five-year Plan (2001-05), is the third commercial nuclear power plant in Guangdong, where China's first - Daya Bay nuclear power plant - began operation in 1991.

It will be become the country's seventh in total. Another four are in Qinshan, East China's Zhejiang Province.

The new plant will be adjacent to the site of Daya Bay nuclear power plant.

Ling'ao I project began commercial operation in 2003, with two 990-megawatt generating units.

Guangdong is also speeding up preparations for construction of another nuclear power plant in Yangjiang, a western coastal city. Construction of the nuclear reactor of that plant will officially begin by the end of 2006, according to CGNPC.

(China Daily December 16, 2005)