[1] On 15 July 2010, China's first CPR-1000 nuclear power plant, Ling Ao-3, was connected to the grid,[2] having started criticality testing on 11 June 2010.
[1] The CPR-1000 has a 1086 MWe capacity, a three-loop design and 157 fuel assemblies (active length 12 ft), enriched to 4.5% U-235.
It has a digital instrumentation and control system, and is equipped with hydrogen recombiners and containment spray pumps.
[6] However the Financial Times reported in 2010 that Areva was considering marketing the CPR-1000 as a smaller and simpler second-generation reactor design alongside its larger EPR, for countries that are new to nuclear power.
In 2010, CGNPG announced a further design evolution to a Generation III level, the ACPR-1000, which would also replace intellectual property right-limited components from the CPR-1000.
[16] The core of the ACPR1000 comprises 157 fuel assemblies (active length 14 ft) and has a design life of 60 years.
[9] Other features include a core catcher and double containment as additional safety measures[17] and ten major technical improvements over its predecessor the CPR-1000.
Power output will be 1150 MWe, with a 60-year design life, and would use a combination of passive and active safety systems with a double containment.