TNAG-1504-FCO40-2062-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 76

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OVER 250 MILLION POUNDS, INCLUDES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DESIGN

AND MANUFACTURE OF THE CONVENTIONAL ISLAND INCLUDING THE TURBINE

GENERATORS: NORMAL, MEDIUM AND LOW VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR, 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. HOWEVER, 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 GENERAL

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF HONG KONG AND ALTHOUGH THE PLANT

WILL BE BUILT TO A FRENCH DESIGN AND OPERATED BY THE CHINESE, THE

CONCERNS OF HONG KONG HAVE FEATURED PREDOMINANTLY IN OUR

DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE. WE KNOW FROM THEIR STATEMENTS THE

SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH THEY TAKE ALL SAFETY ASPECTS AND OF THEIR

RESOLVE TO ENSURE THE NECESSARY STANDARDS OF SAFETY.

CHINA IS A COAL BASED. ECONOMY SIMILAR TO THE UK WITH

RESERVES FORECAST TO LAST WELL INTO THE FUTURE. HER

MODERNISATION PROGRAMME TO PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 150 MILLION

TONNES PER ANNUM BY 1990 LAYS MUCH EMPHASIS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF

NEW MINES AND THE RECONSTITUTION OF EXISTING MINES. BRITAIN'S

EXPERIENCE IN COAL MINING GOES BACK HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND WE HAVE

MUCH TO OFFER IN BOTH DEEP MINING CAPABILITIES AND OPEN CAST

MINING. BRITISH COAL HAS ALREADY UNDERTAKEN CONSULTANCY WORK ON

THE MODERNISATION OF MINES IN TANGSHAN AND BRITISH MINING

CONSULTANTS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN JIMING II. FROM THESE AND

OTHER INITIATIVES IT IS HOPED GREATER COOPERATION BETWEEN THE

COAL AUTHORITIES IN CHINA AND THE UK COAL MINING INDUSTRY CAN

DEVELOP.

ENSURING CONTINUITY OF OIL SUPPLY, PARTLY TO MEET

INCREASED DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION AND ALSO AS A VALUABLE EARNER OF

FOREIGN EXCHANGE, IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO CHINA'S REFORMATION

PROGRAMME. UNFORTUNATELY THE HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL OF CHINA'S

CONTINENTAL SHELF HAS SO FAR FAILED TO MEET EXPECTATIONS AND

UNDERSTANDABLY THERE IS MUCH DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE OIL INDUSTRY.

HOWEVER, IT WAS SOME TIME AFTER EXPLORATION STARTED IN THE NORTH

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