China orders safety checks for nuclear plants

[News_Editor]

China orders safety checks for nuclear plants

2011-03-16 22:04:08 GMT+7 (ICT)

BEIJING, CHINA (BNO NEWS) -- China on Wednesday ordered safety checks on all its nuclear power plants to avoid incidents, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The Chinese State Council informed all relevant departments that safety checks must be performed at existing plants as well in order to avoid explosions like the ones that took place at a Japanese nuclear plant.

Despite the call for comprehensive safety checks and enhanced management over existing plants, the council assured that all operating reactors in the Asian country remain unaffected by radioactive leaks following blasts at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant.

However, after a meeting headlined by China's Premier Wen Jiabao, it was determined to suspend all new nuclear power plants including pre-construction works to review safety standards.

The State Council also ordered China's environmental regulator, the National Nuclear Safety Administration, to monitor the presence of radioactive substances and issue alerts timely.

On March 12, the National Nuclear Safety Administration began monitoring radiation nationwide. Experts said that the radioactive leakages will not affect Chinese citizens as they are diluted by the air and sea.

China currently has six nuclear power plants active and operating. The facilities are located along the Chinese eastern and southern coasts.

This week, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, announced that seven nuclear power plants will be shut down in Germany while the government conducts a safety inspection to guarantee safety in its nuclear network.

The announcement came one day after Merkel announced a suspension to her plans of extending the lifespan of the German nuclear reactors due to the explosions at the Japanese nuclear plant.

In addition, the European Union announced it will conduct stress tests on nuclear reactors to avoid accidents. The tests will begin in June and will conclude by the end of the year.

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