XN000022-1986-10-15 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1986

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MAKE AVAILABLE ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION

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ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SHOULD BE PROVIDED AS FULLY AS CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT TO ALLAY PUBLIC ANXIETY, THE HON WONG PO-YAN SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

FOCUSSING HIS SPEECH ON THE ECONOMIC ASPECT OF THE DAYA BAY ISSUE, MR WONG URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO URGE THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY TO MAKE AVAILABLE RELEVANT INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND IT SHOULD ALSO BE AS DETAILED AS POSSIBLE.

+AS THE DAYA BAY PLANT IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN PRODUCTION IN 1992 AND THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY WILL STILL BE SUBJECT TO THE CONTROL SCHEME UNTIL 1994, DETAILS OF THE COSTS WHICH BEAR RELATION TO THE TARIFF SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO GOVERNMENT SCRUTINY,+ HE SAID.

MR WONG SAID HE WAS CERTAIN THAT THE PLANT COULD BE BUILT WITHIN BUDGET BECAUSE OF LOWER CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

+IN CONSIDERATION OF THE FACT THAT THE LABOUR COST IN CHINA WILL BE CONSIDERABLY LOWER THAN THAT IN OTHER COUNTRIES, THE DAYA BAY PROJECT WILL HAVE A MEANINGFUL ADVANTAGE OVER THE PLANTS IN OTHER COUNTRIES IN TERMS OF COSTS,+ HE SAID.

IT WOULD ALSO BE IN A BETTER POSITION THAN THE OTHERS IN TERMS OF RUNNING COST, MR WONG SAID.

+THEREFORE, WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY FROM DAYA BAY WILL BE CHEAPER NOT ONLY FOR THE FIRST SIX YEARS BUT FOR MANY YEARS THERE AFTER,+ HE SAID.

+ANOTHER FAVOURABLE CONDITION IN RESPECT OF ITS RUNNING COST IS THAT CHINA HAS HER OWN URANIUM DEPOSIT AND THE FACILITIES TO PROCESS THE MINERAL UP TO THE CONCENTRATION APPLICABLE FOR USE AS NUCLEAR FUEL FOR THE DAYA BAY PLANT.+

HE ADDED THAT THE DISPOSAL OF NUCLEAR WASTE WAS MUCH EASIER AND LESS COSTLY IN CHINA COMPARED WITH THE RATHER COMPLICATED AND POLITICAL SITUATION THAT APPLIED IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

MR WONG DISMISSED AS +UNFAIR+ CRITICISM OF COUNCILLORS OVER THE DAYA BAY ISSUE.

THE COUNCILLORS INCLUDED MANY KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE WITH SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND WHO HAD A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION IN GENERAL AND OF THE DAYA BAY PROJECT IN PARTICULAR, HE SAID.

+MEMBERS EXPRESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL VIEWPOINTS ON THIS SUBJECT IN GOOD FAITH AND SO IT IS NOT FAIR TO SUGGEST THAT THEY WERE SUBJECT TO PRESSURE FROM CHINA,+ HE ADDED.

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