TNAG-1505-FCO40-2063-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 161

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between the two very unequal partners, and I do underline the word "partners" because is it essential that after 1997 Hong Kong and Beijing become partners. It is the wrong issue because both Hong Kong and China need cheap power, both have serious pollution problems with conventional power stations, and neither stands anything to gain from a confrontation at this particular point in time. On the contrary, both have a great deal to lose. So I appeal to all concerned, the Government in Beijing, the Chinese functionaries in Kwantung Province, and here too, the local appointed and elected politicians, and especially to the local so-called grassroots politicians, to forget emotion and politics and judge this issue entirely on its technical and economic merits.

Both technically and economically we are in a bind: Technically, because there are obviously a great many problems with engineered safety in nuclear power stations, and economically, because if all the necessary engineered safety is built into a PWR the electricity produced becomes far too expensive. Three Mile Island and Chernobyl have shown that taking calculated safety risks in the end, quite apart from the unacceptable risk to human life, result in completely unacceptable billions and billions of dollars in expenses.

For Hong Kong a possible solution is to pay for the work already done at Daya Bay (and we can afford HK$1,000 million for our people's safety) and ask the Chinese Government to move the PWR 200 km east of us, or, even better, 200 km west of us. But that would not solve the problem for the Chinese population near the new site.

So the only way out is an inherently safe engineered nuclear plant. It would not be facesaving for Beijing to now call a halt and wait for the first commerically produced "Triga" plant. Such an action would be a technical decision logically arrived at and would not constitute a political victory or defeat for either side.

Our message to all concerned the Chinese authorities, the Hong Kong Government, China Light & Power, travelling LEGCO members, et al must be: Wait for the inherent safety, wait for the redesigned nuclear reactors, even if that means a power shortage for 5 or 6 years in Hong Kong and a slower industrial development for Kwantung Province.

A nuclear accident in this area would wipe out the most successful commercial, financial, industrial development in China so far and set China back 50 years in its race to catch up with the developed countries and, incidentally, would kill and maim and handicap a great many of us. None of us can afford that.

Please! This time listen to me! I don't want to stand here in an empty city ten years from now and say again: "I told you so!"