TNAG-1507-FCO40-2065-Guangdong-nuclear-power-station-project-at-Daya-Bay-safety-c-1986 — Page 110

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HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL - 16 July 1986

The Daya Bay project originated in a joint feasibility study carried out by the Guangdong Power Company and China Light & Power Co. Ltd. Although the Government was not directly involved, China Light & Power has asked whether there was any objection to their entering into this feasibility study back in 1979. It was decided that there was no objection. The decision to participate in the project itself depended, of course, on the outcome of the feasibility study.

When the feasibility study was presented to the Government it was clear that a very thorough examination of the project including the suitability of various sites had been carried out. As to the site itself, the study team was assisted by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board of the United Kingdom. It was only after a close and detailed examination of the geological, seismic and meterological aspects had been carried out that the present site at Daya Bay was chosen. I might add that the study was guided by site selection standards used by the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

The distance of the site from Hong Kong is, of course, of fundamental importance in the context of safety. Distance is the first line of defence in the event of any accident or mishap. Much has been said regarding the closeness of Daya Bay to Hong Kong. In accepting the feasibility study and ultimately in agreeing to the Hong Kong Nuclear Investment Co. entering into the joint venture, we took account of internationally accepted standards in relation to the distance between a power station and large centres of population. Com- pared with many power stations, Daya Bay is not close to Hong Kong. For example. there is a nuclear power station in Belgium only 12 km from Antwerp. The Gravelines power station in France with its six reactors is merely 34 km from the well populated south-east cost of England. Bradwell in the Country of Essex is 70 km from the centre of London and the Pickering Station in Canada is 12 km from Toronto. Indian Point Power Station is 38 km from New York City with its population of nearly 8 million. There are many other examples. The point is that Daya Bay is in no way unusual by international standards as regards its distance from a populated area.

Now, Sir, I mentioned the involvement of the Government and the relation- ship between the Government and the parties. It is important this evening that this is fully understood. Basically, the involvement of the Government flows from the provisions of the Scheme of Control. The scheme requires China Light & Power Co. Ltd. and its associates to submit a financing plan for consideration and approval by Executive Council whenever major proposals for major additions to the company's systems have been finalised. Thus, strictly speaking, it would have been only necessary for the Government to have been formally consulted when the Daya Bay project was well advance. Naturally, the China Light Co. took the view from the outset that the project at Daya Bay was so large and so significant that it was wholly inappropriate that they should proceed without obtaining from the Government at least some indication that