First Hualong One TEP Steam Compressor Ships from Shandong Zhanggu

On December 22, 2025, my country’s first domestically developed steam compressor for the boron recovery system (TEP) of the “Hualong One” third-generation pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant was officially rolled off the production line and shipped from Zhangqiu Blower Co., Ltd. in Shandong Province.

The official debut of this equipment not only marks a crucial step forward in the localization of key nuclear power equipment in my country, but also represents an important milestone in the restructuring of the global nuclear power equipment supply chain, attracting widespread attention both within and outside the industry.

The TEP steam compressor is a core component of the boron recovery system in nuclear power plants, requiring the long-term, stable delivery of boron-containing radioactive steam, with stringent technical requirements. Previously, this equipment relied heavily on foreign suppliers such as those in Germany, resulting in high prices and long maintenance cycles, becoming a key constraint on the independent development of my country's nuclear power industry.

Since 2021, Shandong Zhanggu, in collaboration with CGN Engineering Co., Ltd., has been working on this project, leveraging the "Hualong One" nuclear power technology to develop the first domestically produced TEP steam compressor. This equipment adopts a Roots-type design, featuring excellent sealing performance, stable operation, a lifespan of up to 60 years, and over 60,000 start-ups. Its core indicators, such as compression ratio and energy efficiency ratio, have reached international advanced levels. It has also passed the joint appraisal of the China Machinery Industry Federation and the China General Machinery Industry Association, receiving high praise for "filling a domestic gap."

Currently, my country's nuclear power industry is entering a golden age of high-quality development. With the "Hualong One" reactor being deployed in multiple domestic nuclear power bases and expanding globally, the nuclear power equipment market has broad prospects. Shandong Zhanggu, thanks to its breakthrough in the localization of TEP steam compressors, has become the first and currently only company in China to obtain production qualifications for boron recovery systems, and has subsequently won orders from China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) and China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). More notably, Shandong Zhanggu's concurrently advanced intelligent workshop project for nuclear power fan production, through flexible automated production lines and digital management systems, will increase annual production capacity to over 40 units, meeting more than 50% of the equipment demand during the peak period of domestic nuclear power construction.

The shipment of the first TEP steam compressor marks a new stage in the localization of my country's nuclear power equipment—one of "mass production, standardization, and intelligentization"—and injects certainty into the global development of clean energy. Shandong Zhanggu will continue to uphold its original aspiration of "strengthening the nation through equipment," driving development through innovation, winning the market through quality, and contributing more "Made in my country" strength to promoting the localization of nuclear power equipment, ensuring energy security, and supporting the global development of clean energy!