China has started trial operations of a nuclear emergency
response system that allows for real-time monitoring of the
country's nuclear power plants, said a government official on
Friday.
The new system, headquartered in the Commission of Science,
Technology and Industry for National Defense, will provide
information about radiation levels in nuclear power plants, and
automatically detect alarms and report emergencies to the plants
and the provinces, said Chao Zhexiong, an official of the national
nuclear accident emergency management office.
The system can also be extend to overseas organizations and
public websites in case of emergencies.
He said the system has been linked with the emergency response
systems of China's three major nuclear power bases, which are in
Qinshan of Zhejiang Province, Daya Bay of Guangdong Province and Tianwan of Jiangsu Province, and the provincial nuclear
emergency offices.
The second phase of the system, which is still under
construction, will connect the provincial emergency offices with
that of the central government, according to Chao.
China has maintained a good safety record at its 11 nuclear
power generating units, three of which are at Qinshan nuclear power
plant, two at Daya Bay, four at Tianwan and two at Ling'ao nuclear
power plant near Daya Bay.
China's present installed capacity of nuclear power plants is
less than nine million kilowatts, about one percent of all its
power generating capacity. It will be increased to 40 million
kilowatts by 2020.
(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2007)