XN000022-1974-12-15 — Page 2

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1974

HONG KONG CAN BUILD NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

SAYS SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENT

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HONG KONG IS CAPABLE OF BUILDING AND OPERATING A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SAFELY, THE SECRETARY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, MR. JAMES ROBSON, SAID TODAY.

NOWEVER, IT REMAINED TO BE SEEN WHETHER OR NOT SUCH A PROJECT WOULD BE FEASIBLE AND ECONOMIC FOR HONG KONG, HE TOLD THE OPENING SELSION OF A SYMPOSIUM ON HONG KONG AND ITS ENVIRONMENT' AT THE HILTER HOTEL.

FROM A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION BY A TEAM OF U.K. SPECIALISTS, HE SAID, IT SEEMED PROBABLE THAT A SUITABLE SITE FOR A NUCLEAR

BUT THE SITES WHICH HAVE POWER PLANT COULD BE FOUND IN HONG KONG. BEEN TENTATIVELY SELECTED WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE INVESTIGATED IN DETAIL TO DETERMINE THE GEOLOGICAL, METEOROLOGICAL, HYDROLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS TO BE LOOKED INTO WERE THE TRAINING OF THE HIGHLY SPECIALISED STAFF TO RUN THE PLANT, LEGISLATION TO COVER ITS CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION, THE SUPPLY OF FUEL, AND, MORE IMPORTANT, THE DISPOSAL OF THE SPENT FUEL BY RETURN TO THE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN FOR REPROCESSING.

MR. ROBSON SAID THAT WHILE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS WERE EXTREMELY

+AT PRESENT DAY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD. THEY WERE CHEAP TO OPERATE. COSTS IT SEEMS THAT POWER FROM THIS SOURCE IS LESS THAN ONE HALF THE COST OF POWER GENERATED BY OIL BURNING PLANTS.+

HE NOTED THAT MUCH HAD BEEN SAID ABOUT THE DANGERS OF SUCH PLANTS, +BUT IF, AS CLAIMED, THEY ARE SAFE, IF NOT SAFER, TO OPERATE THAN OIL AND COAL FIRED PLANTS, THERE IS MUCH TO BE SAID IN THEIR FAVOUR.+

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS HE ADDED, DID NOT POLLUTE THE ATMOSPHERE WITH MASSES OF SMOKE AND SULPHUR DIOXIDE AS DID OIL AND COAL FIRED PLANTS, AND THIS MIGHT HELP REDUCE, IF NOT ELIMINATE, THE CRIPPLING BRONCHIAL AND OTHER LUNG COMPLAINTS COMMON IN SOME INDUSTRIAL COUNTRIES.

MR. ROBSON POINTED OUT THAT WITH THE POPULATION CONTINUING TO EXPAND, HONG KONG WOULD FACE INCREASING DEMANDS FOR MORE ELECTRICITY, COOKING FACILITIES, MOTOR CARS, INDUSTRY AND SO ON.

+OUR DEMAND FOR POWER AND WATER IS INSATIABLE, INCREASING AT THE RATE OF 13 PER CENT AND EIGHT PER CENT RESPECTIVELY,+ HE SAID, ADDING THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THIS RATE WOULD DECLINE IN THE LONG TERM.

+A 13 PER CENT PER ANNUM INCREASE IN DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY,+ HE ADDED, +MEANS THAT THE CAPACITY OF THE POWER PLANTS DOUBLES EVERY SIX YEARS. THE DEMAND FOR WATER DOUBLES EVERY NINE YEARS.

/+SO BY THE