China Suspends Approvals For New Nuclear Plants

According to Wednesday’s State Council executive meeting, China has suspended the approval process for nuclear power stations in order to revise safety standards after a recent Japanese plant explosion.

In addition, according to a statement released shortly after the meeting, the State Council has required relevant departments to perform safety checks at existing plants.

The statement said all reactors in operation in China are safe and the country remains unaffected by radioactive leakages. Despite this statement, a comprehensive safety check and enhanced management over existing plants are called for. All new nuclear power plants, including those under construction, are suspended until the revised safety standards are approved.

Currently China has six nuclear power plants in operation which are located along the country’s eastern and southern coasts.

The State Council also required the country’s environmental regulator, the National Nuclear Safety Administration, to step up in monitoring radioactive substances and issue timely alerts.

Further Reading: Xinhuanet News

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