Atomic uptick

The operator of five nuclear power plants in neighbouring Guangdong province, CGN Power Co., Ltd saw a 23.68 per cent year-on-year increase in its power production during the January to June period of this year, according to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by operator CGN Power Co., Ltd.
The group’s nearby Taishan nuclear power plant, initially expected to go online in the first half of this year, but pushed back to the second half, had yet to contribute to the group’s power generation during the first six months of the year.
However the group’s Yangjiang Nuclear Power Station, about 200 kilometres from the MSAR, saw a 32.84 per cent uptick in the amount of power generated during the period, contributing the largest amount of electricity during the six-months: 14,273 GWh. The Yangjiang station saw its Unit 4 come online for commercial operation in mid-march of this year, contributing to the increase.
The other three nuclear power stations located in Guangdong and operated by the group, together generated 22,565.1 GWh during the period, with both the Daya Bay station and the Lingdong station seeing year-on-year upticks in generation, of 13.94 per cent and 2.84 per cent respectively, while the Ling’ao station saw a 9.91 per cent drop year-on-year.
Overall power generated reached 63,477.09 GWh during the six-month period.
‘In the second quarter of 2017, the overall supply of electricity has easily met the demand for the country. In order to cater for the requirements of the power grid, temporary load shedding or reserve shutdown for some of our power generating units had been conducted,’ notes the filing.
As of end-June, eight more nuclear power plants were under construction under the company’s management.