TNAG-1657-FCO40-2305-Daya-Bay-nuclear-power-station-project-safety-concerns-in-Ho-1987 — Page 75

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15. SIR FRANK LAYFIELD ALSO HELPFULLY MADE A NUMBER OF

OBSERVATIONS AND INFORMAL PROPOSALS FOR FURTHER ACTION WHICH HE

CONSIDERED DESIRABLE. I AM NOT REQUIRED TO REACH A CONCLUSION ON

THESE FOR THE PURPOSES OF MY SECTION 2 CONSENT. I HAVE, HOWEVER,

EXAMINED THEM CAREFULLY AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, THEY WILL BE

FURTHER CONSIDERED BY GOVERNMENT.

16. IN REACHING MY DECISION I HAVE CONSIDERED MOST CAREFULLY

SIR FRANK LAYFIELD'S COMMENTS ONSAFETY. I SHOULD MAKE CLEAR

THAT, AS A SEPARATE PROCESS, UNDER DIFFERENT STATUTE, THE CEGB ALSO REQUIRE A LICENCE FROM THE INDEPENDENT NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS

INSPECTORATE A WELL AS MY CONSENT BEFORE THEY CAN START

CONSTRUCTION. THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS

INFORMS ME THAT THE NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE JUDGE THAT

THERE ARE NOW NO SAFETY OBSTACLES OF SUBSTANCE WHICH WOULD

PREVENT THE LICENSING OF SIZEWELL B IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

HE HAS ASSURED ME THAT THE NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE

WILL CONSIDER CAREFULLY SIR FRANK LAYFIELD'S COMMENTS AND

PROPOSALS ON THE SAFETY OF THE REACTOR BEFORE ISSUING A LICENCE.

SIR FRANK LAYFIELD COMMENTED THAT BOTH THE CEGB AND THE NUCLEAR

INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE POSSESSED IMPRESSIVE TECHNICAL

COMPETENCE AND ENGINEERING JUDGEMENT OF A HIGH QUALITY.

17. I AM FULLY CONFIDENT THAT THE NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS

INSPECTORATE WILL CONTINUE TO SAFISFY ITSELF ABOUT THE SAFETY OF

THE STATION THROUGHOUT THE REST OF ITS DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION,

OPERATION AND DECOMMISSIONING. AT EACH MAJOR STAGE IN THE

CONSTRUCTION AND COMMISSIONING PROCESS, THE APPROVAL OF THE

NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS INSPECTORATE IS REQUIRED BEFORE THE CEGB

CAN PROCEED FURTHER.

18.

TURNING BRIEFLY TO ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ELECTRICITY I

SHOULD MAKE CLEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED THAT

RENEWABLE TECHNIQUES SHOULD, IN THE LONGER TERM, MAKE THE MAXIMUM

CONTRIBUTION OF WHICH THEY ARE ECONOMICALLY CAPABLE. WE ARE

SUPPORTING A MAJOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF WHICH

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