AtkinsRéalis subsidiary Candu Energy has won the contract to extend the operational life of the two Candu reactors at China’s Qinshan Nuclear Generating Station, Phase III, in Zhejiang province.
They started operating in 2002 and 2003, and are nearing their scheduled date for component replacement to allow 30 more years of operation.
This contract follows mandates in 2021 and 2022 for pre-project preparatory work.
The work now involves include reactor tooling and other design, engineering, and procurement services.
AtkinsRéalis will also train employees of Third Qinshan Nuclear Power Company, the plant’s operator.
The company didn’t disclose the contract’s value, but said its reactor support business could be worth $15bn over the next 10 years, with 19 Candu reactors in China, Canada, Argentina, Romania, and South Korea.
AtkinsRéalis is the sole commercial licensee of the Candu intellectual property portfolio.
Atomic Energy of Canada, Ltd. (AECL) helped build Qinshan Phase III’s reactors.
AECL sold its Candu reactor business to Canadian engineer SNC-Lavalin in 2011.
SNC-Lavalin rebranded as AtkinsRéalis in September last year.
This year, Qinshan Phase III set a record in China for 677 days of continuous operation.
- Subscribe here to get stories about construction around the world in your inbox three times a week
