GPS 1250
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2248
OF 110948Z JULY 86
HICK 160
100%.
ŠEIVED IN 17/
14 JUL 1985
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKIN
PA
PART ONE OF TWO PARTS
258
DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION
THE FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF MY SPEAKING NOTE FOR THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON 16 JULY 1986. SOME LAST MINUTE FINE-TUNING WILL NO DOUBT BE REQUIRED.
SPEAKING NOTE OF THE HONOURABLE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AT THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON WEDNESDAY 16
JULY 1986
SIR,
THE EVENTS AT CHERNOBYL IN APRIL HAVE HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE ATTITUDE OF PEOPLE THE WORLD OVER TOWARDS THE USE OF NUCLEAR POWER FOR CIVIL PURPOSES. DECISIONS THAT BEFORE SEEMED RELATIVELY CLEAR-CUT HAVE NOW BECOME AGONIZINGLY DIFFICULT. PROGRAMMES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS HAVE COME UNDER PUBLIC SCRUTINY IN MANY PLACES. HONG KONG IS NOT ALONE.
2. IN LOOKING AT THIS PROJECT TODAY WE MUST ASK OURSELVES WHAT HAS CHANGED AS A RESULT OF CHERNOBYL. THE ANSWER IS CERTAINLY NOT SAFETY STANDARDS. FOR THOSE WHO ARE CONTINUING WITH THEIR NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMMES, SAFETY STANDARDS WILL BE HIGHER THAN EVER. WHAT HAS CHANGED IS, OF COURSE, THE DEGREE OF PUBLIC ANXIETY
ABOUT NUCLEAR POWER.
3. THE DILEMMA IN HONG KONG IS PARTICULARLY COMPLEX FOR A NUMBER
OF REASONS.
FIRST, THE PROPOSED POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY IS NOT BEING BUILT
IN HONG KONG.
SECOND IS THE FACT THAT HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT CO. LTD. AND ITS PARENT, CHINA LIGHT AND POWER CO. LTD., HAVE CONTRACTED TO BUY ELECTRICITY GENERATED AT DAYA BAY. THE CONTRACTS, THE OFFTAKE ARRANGEMENTS, WERE ENTERED INTO WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND AGREEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT. MORE OF THIS IN A MOMENT. LASTLY, SIR, AT THE TIME THE JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT WAS ANNOUNCED THERE WAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF ITS IMPORTANCE, AND IN MOST QUARTERS SUPPORT FOR THE TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED. IT AUGURED WELL FOR THE FUTURE.
CONFIDENTIAL
14.