Approval of new nuclear power projects in China or “opening gate” after 1~2 years

The "thawing" of the approval of new construction projects for nuclear power plants in the country may also wait longer.

At the height of the 14th China Energy Strategy Summit held on May 20th, the China Nuclear Energy Industry Association’s vice chairman Yang Hao revealed during an exclusive interview with “Daily Economic News” that the approval of new nuclear power plant construction projects in China will not be quick. It may take 1 to 2 years for the "opening gate" to start approval of new projects.

At present, the National Civil Nuclear Inspection Group is conducting nuclear safety inspections of nuclear power plants that have been built and under construction in China. Yang Hao said that in June the safety inspections of nuclear power plants under construction will be started.

Obviously, in the future, the construction standards for new nuclear power plants in China will increase. Xu Kuangdi, former president of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, stated that the location of nuclear power plants is the most important issue. Nuclear-power plants cannot be built in Shaanxi- Gansu earthquake-prone areas.

New project approval or delay

Previous media reports said that the approval of new domestic nuclear power projects may restart in August. However, Yang Hao denied this claim. “The final result of the accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan has not yet come out. The impact of several nuclear power accidents in the history of the United States’ “Sanrio” and the former Soviet Union’s Chernobyl” will last at least 1 to 2 years. Soon start approval of new nuclear power projects."

Yang Lan said that the government must take into account the public acceptance, and it is estimated that the approval of new projects may not start until two years later. Yang Hao is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Honorary President of the China Nuclear Power Research and Design Institute.

Prior to this, the State Council requested that the approval of nuclear power projects be suspended before the approval of nuclear safety planning, including the preparation of pre-preparation projects. Specifically, it involves five nuclear power projects in Wuhu, Chaohu, Xuancheng, Chizhou and Anqing in Anhui Province, and six nuclear power projects in Pengze, Wanan, Xiajiang, Yingtan, Fuzhou and Cangzhou in Jiangsu Province.

At present, relevant departments conduct comprehensive safety inspections of nuclear facilities, reviewing the construction of nuclear power plants, and stepping up the preparation of nuclear safety planning, and adjusting and improving the mid- and long-term plans for the development of nuclear power.

Yang Hao disclosed that the safety inspection of the nuclear power plants already in operation in China has ended and that the safety inspection of the nuclear power plants under construction is about to start. It will start next month.

In early May, the inspection team led by the National Nuclear Safety Administration completed inspections of nuclear power projects in Shenzhen Daya Bay, Zhejiang Qinshan, and Jiangsu Tianwan. According to Zou Shuliang, member of the International Cooperation Coordination Committee of the National Atomic Energy Agency, the preliminary conclusion of the nuclear power plant survey that is in operation is that the emergency safety design code generally meets the standard, but most of the units lack the ability to withstand multiple extreme natural disasters.

The final stage will be the safety inspection of nuclear power suppliers, in particular equipment manufacturers and nuclear power construction units.

Nuclear power station site selection threshold increase

At this stage, there are 38 or so nuclear power plant construction projects in China that are carrying out preliminary work. The relevant departments are studying the revision of the nuclear power safety plan that has been adopted. After the approval of the new project is lifted, the threshold may be greatly increased.

Xu Kuangdi believes that the site selection issue is the most important issue. China cannot choose to build a nuclear power plant at locations between Eurasia and the Indian plate fault zone, including Shaanxi to Gansu, and between Eurasia and the Pacific plate.

“In the future, the location of the nuclear power plant will be very cautious. Now it is located in a place where no earthquake of magnitude 4 or higher has occurred in the history of 1000 years,” said Xu Yudi.

Huang Xueqing, Chief Engineer of China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group Engineering Co., Ltd., said that the specific approval criteria for a new nuclear power project must be determined after nuclear safety planning is completed. It is not yet clear when the plan will be issued.

He emphasized that the domestic nuclear power reactor type was gradually developed after a great deal of optimization and improvement on the basis of technology in the 1980s, and measures to deal with serious accidents were tight enough.

(The Fukushima nuclear power plant was the technology of the 1960s.) A strong earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale has surpassed the seismic design standard of the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The superimposed disasters of strong earthquakes and huge tsunami have caused more damage to the nuclear power plant than design expectations.

However, according to an expert in the nuclear power industry, this year is the first year of the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan”. According to the usual presumption, nuclear safety planning will be approved by the end of the year at the latest.

In this regard, Zou Shuliang disclosed that the nuclear power safety plan will focus on more stringent standards for the location of new projects and the operation of projects against multiple superimposed disasters. For example, flood control standards will increase to more than 25 meters, which was previously higher than sea level. More than meters.