TNAG-1502-FCO40-2060-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 92

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AUG 18 '86 14:55 TIBCOOU) HK GOVT

A round-up of media reports on the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant

31.7.86 - 6.8.86

Thursday, July 31: Although China would definitely go ahead with the Daya Bay project, it would not sign the final contracts earlier than scheduled, the HK Daily News reported in its front-page lead, quoting an authoritative source close to NCNA in HK,

The source said it was difficult to say whether the signing would be postponed. Peking would continue to provide HK people with information on the development of nuclear energy in China and the safety standards adopted in order to remove undue worries.

According to the paper, the source said Peking as well as the NCNA HK branch welcomed representatives of the anti-Daya Bay lobby to go to Peking. They would be given a warm reception and arrangement to visit nuclear reactors, to meet nuclear experts and to see the nuclear industry in the Chinese capital.

The anti-Daya Bay joint conference yesterday described the feasibility study as outdated and said the study had not taken into account the possibility of contamination of food and water in the event of an accident, the media reported.

The group would hand in a set of questions on nuclear safety to Umelco this afternoon. They hoped Legco delegates could provide answers to the questions after they returned from their overseas fact-finding trips.

A member of the Basic Law Drafting Committee, Liu Yiu-chu, told Ming Pao Evening News that the Daya Bay project should be discussed from a scientific point of view by people holding opposing opinions.

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She said that the public should put their concerns on the monitoring of the plant and a contingency plan for evacuation in case of an accident.

The overseas edition of the People's Daily carried an interview with engineers of the Guangdong Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company, who stressed that they placed safety above everything else.

The HK Economic Journal said the lobby supporting the Daya Bay project visited the Daya Bay site two weeks ago to collect information. The group would plan to organise study missions to Japan, the Netherlands and Peking next month.

HKU lecturer Victor Sit, commenting on remarks by Legco member Szeto Wah on the shelving of the nuclear project on Long Island in the United States, said the geographical situation of Long Island was different from that of HK.

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