The Hong Kong government has reported that "a very small leakage" occurred on May 23 at the Guangdong Daya Bay nuclear power station, which is located close to Hong Kong and the mainland Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen. Hong Kong's CLP Group holds a 25% stake in the plant. CLP Holdings Ltd., a Hong Kong-listed entity also known as China Light & Power, confirmed there was a "small increase" in radioactive iodine and noble gases in the reactor's cooling water but that the radioactivity level has remained stable in the past two weeks.
There have been no safety issues with China's 11 nuclear plants. The Daya Bay power plant, commissioned in 1994, was the first commercial nuclear power station in mainland China. The plant produces around 14 billion kilowatt hours of electricity a year, 70% of which is imported into Hong Kong. China's Guangdong Nuclear Investment Co. holds a 75% stake in the project.
Center President Norris McDonald and Center Vice President Derry Bigby toured the Daya Bay nuclear power station in 2007. They were accompanied by Center China Office Director Zhang Xiaoping.
Lingao nuclear power station in background
Daya Bay in Background
Containment Dome being readied
Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station has two reactors and construction began on August 7, 1987: Unit 1 (944 MWe) began power operations on August 31, 1993 and Unit 2 (944 MWe) began power operations on February 2, 1994. The reactors were designed and built by the French national company, Framatome (with Chinese participation). Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station has two 984 MWe pressurized-water reactor units at a cost of 4 billion US dollars. Lingao Nuclear Power Station is equipped with two 938 MWe PWR, with two additional reactors being brought on line (one under construction - see dome at left - and plans for one more). (More on China Trip, WSJ, 6/15/2010)
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