TNAG-1456-FCO40-1980-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1986 — Page 104

THE PUBLICITY SURROUNDING THE WORK OF THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE HAS STIMULATED PUBLIC DEBATE ON THE QUESTION OF FURTHER POLITICAL REFORM. THE BASIC LAW WILL NOT COME INTO FORCE UNTIL 1 JULY 1997. NEVERTHELESS, THE IMPORTANCE OF ACHIEVING COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT AS IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE UP TO 1997 AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1997, IS WIDELY UNDERSTOOD BY THE COMMUNITY.

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DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION

ANOTHER ISSUE OF MAJOR PUBLIC CONCERN TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG IN 1986 WAS THE PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF A NUCLEAR POWER STATION AT DAYA BAY, IN THE GUANGDONG PROVINCE OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, SOME 50 KILOMETERS FROM HONG KONG.

THE POWER STATION WILL BE BUILT AND OPERATED BY A JOINT VENTURE COMPANY FORMED IN 1985 FOLLOWING AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GUANGDONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT COMPANY (WHOLLY OWNED BY THE CHINESE MINISTRY OF NUCLEAR INDUSTRY) AND THE HONG KONG NUCLEAR INVESTMENT

COMPANY (WHOLLY OWNED BY THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY OF HONG KONG). THE PARTICIPATION OF THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER

COMPANY IN THE PROJECT WAS SUPPORTED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

FOLLOWING AN EVALUATION OF THE OPTIONS FOR MEETING HONG KONG'S

ANTICIPATED FUTURE DEMAND FOR ELECTRICITY AND SOME SIX YEARS OF

DETAILED NEGOTIATIONS ON THE PROJECT'S FEASIBILITY, CONSTRUCTION,

OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS.

BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AT THE CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER STATION,

THE DAYA BAY PROJECT WAS GENERALLY SEEN AS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT

WHICH AUGURED WELL FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE. INEVITABLY, THE

EVENTS AT CHERNOBYL PROVOKED INTENSE DEBATE IN HONG KONG, AS

ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD, ON THE SAFETY OF NUCLEAR POWER STATIONS. PUBLIC CONCERN FOCUSSED ON THE PROXIMITY OF THE STATION TO HONG KONG

AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF EVACUATING THE LOCAL POPULATION SHOULD THIS PROVE NECESSARY. OPPOSITION BY VARIOUS PRESSURE GROUPS MOUNTED

DURING THE EARLY SUMMER MONTHS, CULMINATING IN THE PRESENTATION OF A PETITION TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CONTAINING ONE MILLION

SIGNATURES.

A CONFIDENTIA:

THIS IS A COPY

THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN

CLOSED UNDER

FOI EXEMPTION NO....27(1)

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