Unit safe
PATRICIA Malone's letter on Daya Bay (South China Morning Post, March 4) did not reflect fairly the way we handle the news about the first refuelling and overhaul of the power plant which has been successfully completed.
We never attempt to make 'soothing noises' about the safety of the plant. We only want to be as transparent and truthful as possible about the operation of Daya Bay. The recent announcement (by ourselves rather than 'revealed' by the press, as suggested by your paper on March 3) about the control rods is a case in point.
The international nuclear industry and the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have worldwide standards and clear criteria for classifying incidents/accidents that occur in a nuclear plant. According to this classification, that is, using the International Nuclear Event Scale, the control rod case is not on the scale and therefore has no safety significance.
Miss Malone also quoted from the Post article which reported comments from a UK consultant calling for the shutdown of the second reactor of Daya Bay. Interestingly, this suggestion from the British consultant was revoked by experts both from the IAEA and Japanese and British regulatory bodies in an article which appeared in your paper on the same day as Miss Malone's letter. In fact, a test was carried out on the control rods of Unit 2 in early March. The results showed that the unit is working well within technical specifications and there is no need to shut the unit down.
We shall continue to be as transparent and truthful as possible, even when cynical and unfair comments sometimes frustrate and discourage those who are dedicated to do their best.
ALBERT CHAN Assistant Public Affairs Manager Hong Kong Nuclear Investment Co Ltd
