After running more than 2 years of tests, China's Qinshan heavy-water nuclear power plant phase III project has passed state safety checks. The plant is China's first heavy-water nuclear power plant and the largest-ever cooperation project between China and Canada. It is a key project during the country's 9th 5-year plan period and has cost of about US$2.9 billion.

The power generating capacity in the third phase includes two 700-megawatt units with a designed lifespan of 40 years. The first unit began trial runs in December 2002, while the second started in July 2003. Both units were finished in advance, setting new speed records for building heavy-water power plants. By Thursday, the 2 units had successfully generated 26.5 billion kilowatts of electricity, which has helped alleviate the power shortage in East China. Qinshan Nuclear Power Station now has a capacity of 2,900-megawatt generating units, making it a major nuclear power base.

(CCTV.com September 23, 2005)