CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 026/8
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 121300Z FCO TELNO 4545
OF 12113OZ DECEMBER 88
TOP
(10
056213 MDHIAN 5269
MY SECOND IPT: BACKGROUND BRIEF FOR LORD GLENARTHUR: DAYA BAY
PROGRESS
1. THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT CONSISTS OF TWO 900 MW
PRESSURISED WATER REACTOR UNITS. THE FIRST UNIT IS SCHEDULED TO BE
COMMISSIONED IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1992 AND THE SECOND UNIT IN MID-1993. THE REACTORS WILL BE SUPPLIED BY FRAMATOME OF FRANCE AND
THE TURBINE GENERATORS BY GEC OF THE UNITED KINGDOM.
2. SITE FORMATION FOR THE PROJECT BEGAN IN 1984 AND IS NOW
COMPLETED. CONSTRUCTION WORK BEGAN IN AUGUST 1987 WITH THE POURING OF CONCRETE FOR THE UNIT ONE FOUNDATION RAFT. IN MID-SEPTEMBER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT 316 OUT OF A TOTAL OF 576 BARS IN THE FIRST LAYER OF THE RAFT HAD BEEN OMITTED, DUE TO A MISINTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWING. WORK ON THE RAFT STOPPED WHILST INVESTIG-
ATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT. SUBSEQUENTLY THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR POWER PLANT JOINT VENTURE COMPANY (GNPJVC) CONSIDERED SEVERAL TECHNICAL REMEDIAL SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM AND APPROVED ONE RECOMMEDED BY
THE FRENCH ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE DESIGN TEAM. THIS SOLUTION WAS APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR SAFETY ADMINISTRATION OF THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT. WORK RESUMED IN NOVEMBER 1987. ACCORDING TO
GNPJVC, DELAY TO THE PROJECT SCHEDULE CAUSED BY THE INCIDENT HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVELY RECOVERED IN 1988.
3. THE GNPJVC HAS SINCE TAKEN STEPS TO IMPROVE BOTH THE QUANTITY AND
TRAINING OF STAFF AND TO STRENGTHEN THE QUALITY MANAGEMENT OF THE
PROJECT. WORK APPEARS TO BE PROGRESSING SATISFACTORILY.
CONTINGENCY PLANNING:
4. THE UNITED KINGDOM ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY HAS COMPLETED A CONSULTANCY STUDY ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THEIR REPORT WAS PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 1987. ON THE BASIS OF THE CONSULTANTS' RECOMMENDATIONS, A COMPREHENSIVE CONTINGENCY PLAN IS BEING DRAWN UP FOR CONSIDERATION WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION. AFTER THE PLAN HAS BEEN
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