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FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 1986
THE QUESTION OF THE MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH AN ORGANISATION, ITS TRAINING AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING THE NEED FOR REGULAR EXERCISES TO ENSURE ITS EFFECTIVENESS, WERE ALSO DISCUSSED.
IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING CERTAIN SUPPLEMENTARY TECHNICAL INFORMATION THAT WAS REQUESTED BY THE TEAM, IT WAS AGREED THAT BROAD GUIDANCE ON HOW THE CONTINGENCY PLAN SHOULD BE DRAWN UP
IT IS WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CONSULTANT'S FINAL REPORT. HOPED THAT THIS WILL BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. IT WAS FURTHER AGREED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THE REPORTS SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN A WAY WHICH THE GENERAL PUBLIC COULD READILY UNDERSTAND.
FOLLOWING THE MEETING AT HARWELL THE TEAM MOVED TO CULCHETH FOR DISCUSSIONS ON ACCIDENT ASSESSMENT. THE CONSULTANTS CONFIRMED THAT THE PHASE I REPORT WAS INTENDED AS AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PROBABILITIES OF DIFFERENT ACCIDENTS AT THE DAYA BAY POWER STATION, AND PROVIDED A PRELIMINARY INDICATION OF THE POSSIBLE RADIOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES FOR HONG KONG.
THE FINDINGS WERE BASED ON STUDIES THAT RELATED TO TYPICAL EXISTING WESTERN EUROPEAN PLANTS WHICH THE CONSULTANTS CONSIDERED WERE LIKELY TO BE SIMILAR TO THE DAYA BAY STATION. THESE FINDINGS WOULD, HOWEVER, BE EXTENDED AND REFINED IN PHASE 1 TO MAKE THEM PLANT AND SITE SPECIFIC. AT THE SAME TIME, ACCOUNT WOULD ALSO BE TAKEN OF POSSIBLE WATER AND FOOD CHAIN PATHWAYS OF EXPOSURE.
FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT AT CHERNOBYL, BOTH SIDES RECOGNISED THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE CONSULTANCY AGREEMENT HAD CHANGED CONSIDERABLY FROM THAT PREVAILING AT THE TIME OF SIGNATURE. ACCORDINGLY, IT WAS CONSIDERED THAT THE TREATMENT OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE STUDY SHOULD BE EXTENDED. THE EXTENT OF THIS ADDITIONAL WORK, WHICH WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE POWER STATION, IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED.
IT IS PLANNED THAT DURING THE COURSE OF THE PHASE II ASSIGNMENT, WHICH SHOULD BE COMPLETED IN 18-24 MONTHS, THE CONSULTANTS WILL VISIT HONG KONG FROM TIME TO TIME TO DISCUSS WITH OFFICIALS THE PROGRESS OF THE CONSULTANCY.
THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT WAS ALSO DISCUSSED. IT WAS NOTED THAT BECAUSE THE CHERNOBYL REACTOR OPERATED ON A VERY DIFFERENT CONCEPT TO ANY COMMERCIAL PLANT IN THE WEST IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE COMPARISONS WITH IT AND THE FRAMATOME PRESSURISED WATER REACTOR PLANNED FOR DAYA BAY.
THE CONSULTANTS POINTED OUT THAT IN THE CASE OF THE ACCIDENT AT THE THREE MILE ISLAND POWER STATION, WHERE THE REACTOR SYSTEM WAS A PWR AND WHERE A PARTIAL CORE MELT DOWN WAS EXPERIENCED, THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT HARM TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE NEARLY ALL THE RADIOACTIVITY WAS RETAINED INSIDE THE CONTAINMENT BUILDING.
/THE CHERNOBYL