Explainer: What happened at China’s Taishan nuclear reactor?

French power firm EDF (EDF.PA) is investigating a possible situation linked to a build-up of inert gases at its nuclear plant in China’s southeastern province of Guangdong.

The probe comes after CNN reported that the U.S. authorities was assessing a report of a leak at the Taishan energy station. The report was made by Framatome, the EDF enterprise that designed the plant’s reactor and stays concerned in its operations. learn extra

Framatome warned that the plant, a three way partnership with China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) that’s positioned round 200 kilometres from Hong Kong, was going through an “imminent radiological threat”.

Here is what we all know to this point.

WHAT HAPPENED AT TAISHAN?

According to CNN, U.S. officers have been investigating the Framatome claims of a leak for the previous week.

EDF, which has a minority stake within the plant, mentioned a build-up of krypton and xenon – each inert gases – had affected the first circuit of Taishan Unit 1, however added that it was a “known phenomenon, studied and provided for in the reactor operating procedures.”

Majority proprietor CGN additionally mentioned in an announcement that operations at the plant met security guidelines.

Radiation ranges within the neighborhood have been nonetheless regular on Monday, in response to real-time knowledge from the China Nuclear Safety Administration (CNSA).

According to CNN, Framatome’s warning included an accusation that CNSA was elevating acceptable radiation limits exterior the Taishan plant to keep away from having to close it down.

The regulator didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian instructed reporters in a daily briefing the plant was absolutely compliant with all necessities and working usually. learn extra

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

Nuclear consultants have typically performed down the dangers. CNN cited U.S. officers as saying that the risks to the general public have been at the moment minimal.

Li Ning, a Chinese nuclear scientist primarily based within the United States, instructed Reuters that CNN was “making a mountain out of a molehill” and that it was unrealistic to anticipate “zero failure” within the gas cladding of nuclear initiatives anyplace on the earth.

Li mentioned the media have been “often unwilling to put risks into proper perspective”, which he mentioned had successfully killed off the nuclear business within the west.

“Coal fired power plants can emit and discharge more radioactivity than nuclear power plants,” Li mentioned.

WHY IS THE U.S. GOVERNMENT INVOLVED?

CGN, China’s largest state-owned nuclear firm, was positioned on a U.S. blacklist in Aug. 2019 for allegedly making efforts to amass superior U.S. expertise and materials for diversion to army makes use of in China.

That signifies that Framatome, which has operations within the United States, would wish a waiver from the U.S. authorities to permit it to assist CGN repair technological issues, Li mentioned.

China’s international ministry has mentioned the blacklist is a misuse of export management measures.

WHAT IS TAISHAN’S SAFETY RECORD?

Minor questions of safety have been fairly frequent at Taishan. In March, inspectors checking a defective voltmeter in Unit 1 by accident prompted {an electrical} malfunction that triggered an automated shutdown, in response to CNSA incident data.

In April, a burst of radioactive gasoline unexpectedly entered a pipe at Unit 1’s waste gasoline therapy system simply as employees have been attempting to seal it, additionally triggering an alarm, CNSA mentioned.

WHAT IS AN “EPR”?

Formerly often known as a “European Pressurised Reactor”, the EPR is a “third-generation” nuclear expertise that features enhanced security options in addition to better era capability.

It was designed by Framatome along with Germany’s Siemens. Its third-generation rivals now embrace Westinghouse’s AP1000, Russia’s VVER-1200 and China’s Hualong One.

In 2006, EDF and fellow French nuclear group Areva misplaced a bid to construct 4 reactors on China’s jap coast, with China choosing Westinghouse’s mannequin after signing a deal to switch core expertise to be used in its personal initiatives.

In 2007, EDF agreed to construct two EPRs at Taishan, which might be 70%-owned by CGN. Construction bought underway in 2010. Originally scheduled to be related to the grid inside 4 years, the primary unit wasn’t accomplished till December 2018.

WHAT NEXT?

EDF didn’t present a timeframe for completion of its investigation, nor did U.S. officers, in response to the CNN report.

Problems at the Taishan undertaking are unlikely to dent China’s nuclear ambitions, however they underscore the challenges going through international reactor builders in a market more and more dominated by home gamers.

China fell brief on its 2020 nuclear capability goal. Many complained the sector’s growth was derailed not solely by the 2011 Fukushima catastrophe, but additionally by the prolonged delays and spiralling prices at foreign-designed initiatives.

As it steps up the development of recent vegetation, China is now anticipated to rely primarily by itself third-generation Hualong One design, however additionally it is serving to to finance the development of an EPR undertaking at Britain’s Hinkley Point.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.