XN000022-1986-10-15 — Page 19

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1986

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ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF N-POWER QUERIED

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IT IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH THAT WE ARE ASSURED THAT NUCLEAR POWER WILL NOT COST MORE THAN POWER GENERATED BY COAL FIRE, THE HON SELINA CHOW TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

+ WHY IS IT NOT CHEAPER? AFTER ALL, SHOULD WE NOT BENEFIT ECONOMICALLY FOR HAVING SOMEWHAT SACRIFICED OUR PEACE OF MIND?+ SHE ASKED.

AS ONE DEEPLY CONSCIOUS OF THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG'S CONSUMERS, MRS CHOW SAID SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT HONG KONG DID NOT STAND TO BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF NUCLEAR POWER.

ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THE DAYA BAY PROJECT, SHE SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FACT-FINDING DELEGATION'S REPORT HAD AMPLY TACKLED THE SAFETY ASPECTS AS WELL AS THE OPENNESS OF INFORMATION.

+NOW THAT VITAL CONTRACTS ARE SIGNED, THIS COUNCIL'S JOB IS JUST BEGINNING. WE MUST NOW FOCUS ON THE AREAS WHICH OUR PEOPLE ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT, AND ADDRESS THEM ONE BY ONE,+ SHE ADDED.

MRS CHOW RECALLED THAT HONG KONG'S DECISION ON DAYA BAY TAKEN IN 1983 WAS HAILED AS A MAJOR BOOST OF CONFIDENCE TO HONG KONG AND ITS FUTURE AT THAT TIME.

HOWEVER, SINCE THE CHERNOBYL INCIDENT, EMPHASIS HAD SHIFTED TO ONE OF SAFETY, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING ENDORSEMENT OF THE PROJECT IN 1983 WERE LONG FORGOTTEN, SHE SAID.

+SO IS THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS CONSEQUENTIAL TO ITS ACCEPTANCE,+ SHE ADDED.

MRS CHOW SAID THERE WAS, OF COURSE, A LESSON TO BE LEARNT FROM CHERNOBYL, AND IT WOULD BE FOOLISH NOT TO DRAW ON THE WISDOM OF INTERNATIONAL BRAINS.

BUT TO KEEP ON MENTIONING CHERNOBYL AND DAYA BAY IN THE SAME BREATH WAS LIKE COMPARING THE COMET WITH THE JUMBO, SHE SAID.

+IT TOTALLY CONFUSES THE ISSUE, MISLEADS THE PUBLIC, FOCUSSES ON THE WRONG PROBLEM AND CREATES UNNECESSARY PANIC,+ SHE ADDED.

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