China can guarantee safety of nuclear power facilities: official

[Prometheus Bound]

Source: Xinhua, China Radio International

China can guarantee safety of nuclear power facilities: official
2011-03-26 19:27:12

BEIJING, March 26 (Xinhua) -- An official overseeing nuclear safety in China 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 China's nuclear power facilities and (China) will not abandon (its nuclear power plan) for fear of slight risks," said Tian Shujia in response to reports that China 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 China. He added that these codes are stringently enforced by the Chinese government.

.....
China 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 China's total power capacity, according to Tian.
Also at: http://english.cri.cn/6909/2011/03/26/2741s628728.htm

Read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2011-03/26/c_13799468.htm

---

Meanwhile, although plants planned for China use current US, French, Canadian and Russian technology, they have exported to Pakistan two reactors that use 30-year-old Chinese technology and are planning two more.

China to Sell Outdated Nuclear Reactors to Pakistan
March 24, 2011

China is pressing ahead with nuclear energy cooperation with Pakistan, despite concerns that it is shipping decades-old technology to its South Asian neighbor.

....

Mark Hibbs, an atomic energy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, has closely followed the Chinese-Pakistani nuclear cooperation. He says China has been developing its own nuclear technology, but that it is outdated.

"So far most of the reactors that the Chinese themselves have built on the basis of their own know-how reflects a technology which was available in the West and in advanced nuclear countries outside of China about 30 years ago," he said. "The Chinese are exporting this equipment - this is the technology which China has been exporting to Pakistan. I don’t believe right now that there is a major world market outside of Pakistan which is very interested in this technology."
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/China-to-Sell-Outdated-Nuclear-Reactors-to-Pakistan-118572049.html

[somone]

1. At long last, the world can rest easy

[octothorpe]

6. Gotta admit that takes skill though.

[subterranean]

2. Their safety is guaranteed...unless, of course, something bad happens.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/nuclear-energy-advocates-insist-us-reactors-comple,19740/

[Cal33]

11. Why not? I hear that parachute-manufacturing companies offer money-back

guarantees for their products. :o)

[ixion]

3. This is exactly the point: There is NO GUARANTEE

because these things are inherently unsafe.

[octothorpe]

7. A lot of things we humans do is inherently unsafe...

I think it's more that when bad shit eventually happens with nuclear power, it usually causes more damage than most the other things we do.

[Journeyman]

4. I'd like force every schmuck who claims this to live on site . . .

with all their children and grandchildren. If they believe in it so much, then let them use their kith and kin as the "canary." Otherwise, STFU you useless liars.

[plumbob]

5. I'd ESPECIALLY like that, since the nuclear waste dump is 30 miles from

my house sitting on top of my drinking water, over my vehement objections.

The owners? Sure, they live 400 miles away.

[PoliticAverse]

8. Always read the fine print on the guarantee... n/t

[tpsbmam]

9. Yeah, right. Just like they can guarantee the safety of their pet food, their toys,

their drywall....it's an endless list.

[wickerwoman]

10. All the nuclear waste they dumped in Tibet... not so much.

http://energy.probeinternational.org/nuclear-power/nuclear-safety/china-admits-nuclear-waste-tibetan-plateau