EDF's Taishan-1 nuclear reactor is connected to the Chinese grid

Power generation will start by end of 2018.

The French energy company EDF and China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) have connected the Taishan-1 EPR reactor in Guangdong to the Chinese power grid.

Taishan-1 is the world's first EPR to achieve grid connection and power generation is scheduled to start by the end of 2018, once all the gradual power-up tests are complete.

The Taishan nuclear project is developed by the Guangdong Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company Limited, a joint venture between CGN (51%), EDF (30%) and the provincial Chinese electricity company Yuedian (19%). The project will feature two Areva's EPR reactors of 1,660 MWe net (1,750 MWe gross) each (Taishan-1 and Taishan-2), whose construction started in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

The next unit, Taishan-2, is expected to be commissioned in 2019 (delayed from the first half of 2018).

This article was originally published by Enerdata.