Published Monday, June 14, 2021 | 5:27 pm
Updated 36 minutes ago
HONG KONG (AP) – The French co-operator of a Chinese nuclear power plant near Hong Kong said Monday that the plant is struggling with a “performance problem” but is currently operating within safety limits after a potential radioactive leak was reported.
The Taishan nuclear power plant is jointly owned by the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group and the French multinational utility Électricité de France, the main owner of Framotome, which supports the operation of the power plant.
“Framatome is helping to resolve a performance problem with the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong Province, China,” Framatome said in a brief statement on Monday.
“According to the data available, the system works within the safety parameters,” it said. “Our team works with relevant experts to assess the situation and suggest solutions to potential problems.”
Radiation levels in Hong Kong, 135 kilometers (85 miles) from the Taishan facility, were normal on Monday, according to the Hong Kong Observatory, which monitors radiation around the city.
CNN reported Monday that Framotome had written a warning to the US Department of Energy of an “imminent radiological threat,” accusing Chinese authorities of raising acceptable levels of radiation outside the facility to prevent the facility from closing. CNN said US officials believe the current situation at the plant does not pose a serious security threat.
The Électricité de France announced in a statement on Monday that it had been informed of the increase in the concentration of “certain noble gases” in the primary circuit of reactor No. 1 at the Taishan plant.
“The presence of certain noble gases in the primary circuit is a well-known phenomenon that has been studied and foreseen by the operating procedures of the reactors,” it said.
The utility said it was providing its expertise and requested that the joint venture company that operates the facility hold a board meeting so that management “comes up with all the data and the necessary decisions.”
The Chinese authorities in Beijing and Guangdong did not immediately respond to attempts to solicit comments on Monday, a public holiday.
The power plant issued a statement on Sunday stating, “Currently, continuous monitoring of environmental data shows that the environmental indicators of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant and its surroundings are normal.”
No problems were mentioned and it was said: “All operational indicators of the two units have met the requirements of the nuclear safety regulations and the technical specifications of the power plant.”
The United Nations nuclear regulatory agency, the International Atomic Energy Agency, told The Associated Press that it was aware of the media reports and was in contact with its counterpart in China.
“At the moment, the agency has no evidence of a radiological incident,” said the Vienna IAEA in a written response to questions.
The agency said it would release more information as it becomes available.
The two reactors went into commercial operation in December 2018 and September 2019, the local city council announced on its website. They are the first of a new type called European Pressurized Reactors that have been commissioned around the world. Construction of two more EPRs in Finland and France started earlier, but costly delays continue.
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Associated Press Writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report.
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