BACKGROUND
China is currently constructing its first two civil nuclear power
stations, at Quinstam and Daya Bay.
The Quinstam reactor is an indigenously designed Pressurised Water
Reactor (PWR
-
like Sizewell B). Reactor start-up is planned for
1989. Much of the equipment is imported.
The Daya Bay plant is owned by a Hong Kong/Chinese joint venture
company and will comprise two 985 MW PWRs). The first is scheduled
to be put into operation in 1992, the second a year later. The
reactors are being supplied by Framatome (France) and the turbine
generators by GEC. Electricite de France are in charge of general
planning and construction supervision.
Our knowledge about the safety record at China's existing
military research nuclear plants is scanty; but what little we do
know does not inspire full confidence. In anticipation of a major
civil nuclear power programme (since significatly scaled down) the
authorities created the National Nuclear Safety Administration