Heavy components have been installed at the Haiyang 1 AP1000 unit — the reactor vessel head and both steam generators — completing the main parts of the new reactor’s primary circuit.

At the Haiyang site in Shandong province, the new reactor project is being managed by Shandong Nuclear Power Company, in collaboration with State Nuclear Power Technology Corp (SNPTC) and China Nuclear Energy Construction Corp (CNECC), which released pictures of the landmark lifts.

The two steam generators and reactor vessel head were the only remaining major components for the reactor unit’s primary circuit. The other main parts including the pressurizer and large pumps were already in place. All of these may now be connected by heavy steel piping.

Construction started on the AP1000 unit in September 2009 and it is slated for commercial operation in May 2014.