WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986
SAFETY ASPECTS OF DAYA BAY PLANT FULLY CONSIDERED
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QUESTIONS OF SAFETY AND DESIGN WERE GIVEN FULL AND APPROPRIATE CONSIDERATION BY THE GOVERNMENT BEFORE IT DECIDED THERE WAS NO OBJECTION TO LOCAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT PROJECT, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON PIERS JACOBS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN WINDING UP THE DAYA BAY ADJOURNMENT DEBATE. MR JACOBS SAID THE EVENTS AT CHERNOBYL IN APRIL HAD HAD A PROFOUND EFFECT ON THE ATTITUDE OF PEOPLE TOWARDS THE USE OF NUCLEAR POWER FOR CIVIL PURPOSES.
+THE DILEMMA IN HONG KONG IS PARTICULARLY COMPLEX FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, HE SAID.
FIRST, THE PROPOSED POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY WAS NOT BEING BUILT IN HONG KONG,
SECOND, CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY HAD CONTRACTED TO BUY ELECTRICITY GENERATED AT DAYA BAY, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND AGREEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT.
THIRD, AT THE TIME THE JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT WAS ANNOUNCED THERE WAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF ITS IMPORTANCE, AND IN MOST QUARTERS SUPPORT FOR THIS TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED.
MR JACOBS POINTED OUT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD AND COULD NOT DO BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THE DECISION TO BUILD THIS POWER STATION WAS NOT ONE FOR HONG KONG.
HE SAID THE DAYA BAY PROJECT ORIGINATED IN A JOINT FEASIBILITY STUDY CARRIED OUT BY THE GUANGDONG POWER COMPANY AND CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY.
WHEN THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENT IT WAS CLEAR THAT A VERY THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF THE PROJECT INCLUDING THE SUITABILITY OF VARIOUS SITES HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT.
DAYA BAY WAS CHOSEN ONLY AFTER A CLOSE AND DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE GEOLOGICAL, SEISMIC AND METEROLOGICAL ASPECTS HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT,
MR JACOBS NOTED THAT MUCH HAD BEEN SAID REGARDING THE CLOSENESS OF DAYA BAY TO HONG KONG.
+ IN ACCEPTING THE FEASIBILITY STUDY AND ULTIMATELY IN AGREEING TO THE HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT CO. ENTERING INTO THE JOINT VENTURE, WE TOOK ACCOUNT OF INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED STANDARDS IN RELATION TO THE DISTANCE BETWEEN A POWER STATION AND LARGE CENTRES OF POPULATION.
/+COMPARED