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Hong Kong Monitors Chinese Nuclear Plant after Leak Reported

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About a month ago, Legal Insurrection published “A Disturbing Review of Failed and Stolen Chinese Technology.”

I discussed several recent technical failures, including a high-rise building swaying dangerously. Now I might have to add China’s nuclear power plants to that list.

Framatome, a French nuclear reactor business, issued an urgent warning this past week, which US officials also evaluated (emphasis mine).

EDF [Électricité de France ], which has a minority stake in the plant, said a build-up of krypton and xenon – both inert gases – had affected the primary circuit of Taishan Unit 1, but added that it was a “known phenomenon, studied and provided for in the reactor operating procedures.”

Majority owner CGN also said in a statement that operations at the plant met safety rules.

Radiation levels in the vicinity were still normal on Monday, according to real-time data from the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA).

According to CNN, Framatome’s warning included an accusation that NNSA was raising acceptable radiation limits outside the Taishan plant to avoid having to shut it down.

I previously recounted that Chinese scientists reportedly had shortchanged safety practices in their biological laboratories by working with far fewer precautions than would be utilized for the type of pathogens they were handling. Subsequently, the warnings from Framatome warrant serious consideration.

Chinese officials were quick to assure everyone that there was no threat.

China said Tuesday radiation levels remained normal at one of its nuclear power plants and there were no safety concerns, after the station´s French operator reported a gas build-up.

“There is no abnormality in the radiation levels around the nuclear power plant, and safety is guaranteed,” said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

Additionally, the operators at the facility indicated that they were dealing…”with a performance issue.”

Operators of a nuclear power plant in southern China are fixing a “performance issue” at the facility, its French part-owner said on Monday.

…EDF, the parent company of Framatome, said the plant’s number one reactor experienced a build-up of noble gases in its primary circuit, which is part of the cooling system.

Noble gases are elements which have low chemical reactivity. Those at the plant are the xenon and krypton gases.

The gas leaked after the coating on some fuel rods had deteriorated, a spokesman for EDF said.

All of the statements could be true. However, given the Chinese response to the coronavirus that likely came from a Wuhan lab, it seems Hong Kong has a healthy dose of skepticism.

China’s government said Tuesday no abnormal radiation was detected outside a nuclear power plant near Hong Kong following a news report of a leak, while Hong Kong’s leader said her administration was closely watching the facility.

…”With regards to foreign media reports about a nuclear plant in Taishan, Guangzhou, the Hong Kong government attaches a high degree of importance to this,” said Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

She said her government would ask authorities in Guangdong for information and tell the public about any developments.

I suggest keeping an eye on the world’s supply of potassium iodide, which people use for radiation treatment. If the Chinese start buying up the world’s collection, it’s time to get worried.

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