XN000022-1986-07-16 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 1986

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STRONG OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT VITAL

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THE HONG KONG PARTNERS IN THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR PROJECT, HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT COMPANY (HKNIC), SHOULD RETAIN A FRONT ROLE IN THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE PLANT THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE SPAN, THE HON S.L. CHEN TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE ARRANGEMENTS WHEREBY HKNIC WOULD RETAIN SOME MEASURE OF INFLUENCE OVER THE POST-COMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES DURING THE FIRST TEN YEARS, WAS NOT ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY, HE SAID IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE.

MR CHEN SAID HE HAD NO WORRIES ABOUT THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ASPECTS OF THE POWER PLANT, WHICH HE CONSIDERED +REASONABLE AND TECHNICALLY ACCEPTABLE+.

+MY REAL CONCERN IS IN THE POST-COMMISSIONING MANAGEMENT OF THE PLANT, THAT IS OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, HE SAID, NOTING THAT THE THREE MILE ISLAND INVESTIGATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES HAD REVEALED SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES IN OPERATIONAL SAFETY.

+1 WOULD FEEL HAPPIER IF HKNIC, BEING A PARTNER OF THE JOINT VENTURE COMPANY, WERE TO PLAY A FRONT ROLE IN THE ON-601NG DAY-TO- DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE POWER PLANT.

+THE PRESENT TEN-YEAR ARRANGEMENT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER THE ENTIRE LIFE PERIOD OF THE PLANT,+ HE SAID.

THIS, HE ADDED, WOULD ENSURE CONTINUED INJECTION OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE FROM OUTSIDE, WHICH WAS IMPORTANT AS DAYA BAY WOULD BE THE FIRST COMMERCIAL REACTOR TO BE OPERATING IN CHINA.

UNDER THE JOINT VENTURE ARRANGEMENTS, STAFF WHO WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DAYA BAY PLANT WOULD RECEIVE INTENSIVE TRAINING IN FRANCE, HE NOTED.

THESE TRAINED PERSONNEL WOULD OPERATE THE PLANT FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS UNDER A STATION MANAGER CHOSEN BY HKNIC. HE WOULD BE ASSISTED BY A DEPUTY FROM THE CHINESE AUTHORITY WHO, AT THE END OF THE FIRST FIVE YEARS, WOULD BECOME THE MANAGER OF THE PLANT.

MR CHEN SAID HE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE AN INDEPENDENT BODY SET UP TO MONITOR THE PLANT'S PERFORMANCE, ESPECIALLY OPERATIONAL SAFETY, AS WAS THE CASE IN OTHER DEVELOPED COUNTRIES EMPLOYING NUCLEAR ENERGY.

HE SUGGESTED AN AUTHORITATIVE BODY, LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, SHOULD BE ENGAGED TO ACT AS AN INDEPENDENT MONITOR FOR TEN YEARS SO AS TO ENABLE AN UNBIASED RECORD ON OPERATIONAL SAFETY TO BE ESTABLISHED.

/SUCH RECORDS,

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