TNAG-1503-FCO40-2061-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 43

SECRETARY OF STATE'S ARTICLE FOR WEN WEI PO

PARAGRAPHS ON DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER STATION

1. The UK is also involved in the

construction of China's first commercial nuclear power station which is to be sited at Daya Bay about 50 kilometres from Hong Kong. The station will be owned by the Guangdong Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company, a Hong Kong/Chinese joint venture, and 70% of the electricity produced will be fed into the Hong Kong grid through the China Light and Power Company. While Framatome are to supply the nuclear island, GEC Turbine Generators Limited are to supply the turbo generators. This contract, with a UK value of over £250m, includes responsibility for the design, manufacture and supply of the conventional island comprising the turbine generators, all auxiliary plant in the turbine holds, the normal medium and low voltage switch gear and the main transformer platforms. The contract also includes responsibility for the design of the civil engineering works and technical services relating to the construction of the non-nuclear plant.

2. The UK's interest in this project goes wider.

We recognise the real concern of the people in Hong Kong about the safety of the plant and have followed very closely the public debate in Hong Kong. We take seriously our responsibility for the safety of the people of Hong Kong and, although the plant is to be built to a French design and operate in China, we have discussed concerns of Hong Kong, as we have discussed other aspects of the project, and know from their statements, of the seriousness with which they take all safety aspects of their intention to ensure the necessary standards of safety.

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3. In deciding to build this plant, the Chinese have decided, like virtually all major industrial economies, they should have a nuclear component in their electrical system even to complement their great existing natural energy resources. They accept the need for the highest standards of safety, but, like us they implicitly share the view that there is no way of meeting world energy needs in the coming decades without the emergence of a substantial contribution from nuclear power.

AE2

4 September 1986