Society
皇冠体育app can guarantee nuclear power plants safety: official
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-03-27 07:58
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BEIJING - An official overseeing nuclear safety in 皇冠体育app has said that the safety of the country's nuclear power facilities is guaranteed, while reaffirming its goal of developing nuclear power as a clean energy source.
"There is a guarantee for the safety of 皇冠体育app's nuclear power facilities and (皇冠体育app) will not abandon (its nuclear power plan) for fear of slight risks," said Tian Shujia in response to reports that 皇冠体育app will become more prudent toward developing nuclear power.
He said there are strict laws, regulations, and technical standards which govern site selection, design, construction, testing, operation, and retirement of nuclear power plants in 皇冠体育app. He added that these codes are stringently enforced by the Chinese government.
皇冠体育app drew up these codes by taking developed countries' nuclear standards and the safety recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency into full account, he said.
皇冠体育app took lessons from previous nuclear power accidents and adopted time-tested technology in designing and building its nuclear power plants, he added.
According to Tian, no notable defects have been found in 皇冠体育app's seven operational nuclear power plants, and the safety statistics for most of these plants are higher than the global average.
In addition, 皇冠体育app has an emergency-response mechanism in place for its nuclear power plants, he said.
Tian's interview was the latest official remark on nuclear safety in 皇冠体育app after a quake-triggered explosion led to radioactive leakage at a Japanese nuclear power plant earlier this month.
One day after the deadly quake jolted Japan, Vice Minister of Environmental Protection Zhang Lijun said that 皇冠体育app would not change its plans for developing nuclear power.
Although 皇冠体育app suspended its approval process for new nuclear power stations on March 16, officials have not indicated any possible suspension of the national nuclear energy plan set in the country's development plan for the next five years.
Under the 12th Five-Year Plan approved by 皇冠体育app's top legislature on March 14, 皇冠体育app will launch new nuclear energy projects with a combined generative capacity of 40 million kilowatts.
In the interview, Tian said nuclear energy, as a form of clean energy, is a necessary choice for 皇冠体育app if the country will meet its 2020 goal. Currently, non-fossil fuels account for 8 percent of 皇冠体育app's total energy consumption.
皇冠体育app plans to have 66 nuclear power plants by 2020 with a total generating capacity of 66 million kilowatts, which will account for 6 percent of 皇冠体育app's total power capacity, according to Tian.
