Analysis said that China’s nuclear power has restarted

The pace of China's resumption of nuclear power approvals is moving forward. On May 31, Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council presided over the executive meeting of the State Council to hear again the report on the comprehensive safety inspection of civil nuclear facilities throughout the country. At the same time, the executive meeting discussed and adopted in principle the "12th Five-Year Plan for Nuclear Safety and Radioactive Pollution Prevention and Control and the Vision for 2020" (hereinafter referred to as the "Planning").

"This is obviously a positive signal that China will not give up the development of nuclear power resources due to the nuclear crisis in Fukushima, Japan, which took place in March last year." Energy expert Lin Boqiang told the "International Finance News" reporter, "But in terms of the status quo, This conference is most conducive to some of the nuclear power projects under construction in China, and for newly approved nuclear power projects, it is still necessary to wait for the above-mentioned “Planning” to be actually implemented in the market, and other 'passes'—the revised version of “Nuclear Power”. The long-term development plan has been approved by the relevant national authorities."

Security check: only "individual problems"

In March 2011, after the nuclear leakage at the Fukushima nuclear power plant on the seashore, many countries began to re-examine their nuclear power gesep. Com development or strategy, including China.

On March 16th of that year, Wen Jiabao presided over the executive meeting of the State Council, emphasizing “comprehensively reviewing nuclear power plants under construction, strictly examining and approving new nuclear power projects, stepping up the preparation of nuclear safety planning, and adjusting and improving the mid- and long-term plans for the development of nuclear power”. This is called by the industry as nuclear power development. "The four countries." In addition, the meeting also decided to immediately organize the relevant departments to conduct a comprehensive inspection of China’s nuclear facilities, and even used the word “ensure absolute safety of the environment.”

More than a year later, the State Council meeting held recently announced the results of the major safety inspections.

“Relevant departments organized experts in nuclear safety, earthquake and oceanography, and used more than 9 months to operate 41 nuclear power plants, 3 nuclear power plants to be built, and all civil research reactors and nuclear fuel cycle facilities. A comprehensive safety inspection was conducted.” The State Council meeting on May 31 stated that the overall conclusions of the safety inspection were: China’s nuclear safety standards have fully adopted the safety standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the nuclear safety regulations and standards system is in line with international standards, and civilian nuclear facilities are under construction. China has fully demonstrated the external events such as earthquakes and floods; the nuclear power plants have been effectively managed in all aspects of design, manufacture, construction, commissioning and operation, and the overall quality is controlled.

However, the inspection also found some problems: The flood control capability of individual nuclear power plants did not meet the new requirements, and the seismic capabilities of individual civil research reactors and nuclear fuel cycle facilities did not reach new standards. "For these issues, the relevant departments and companies have quickly organized rectification and have achieved some initial results." In response, the meeting emphasized.

It is worth noting that Wang Binghua, chairman of the State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation, also introduced during the two sessions of the National Conference this year that China’s nuclear power safety inspection “has found a total of 14 problems that require rectification”. He said that among these issues, "some have been completely resolved, some are being solved, and some have been included in the three-year renovation plan and will be completely resolved."

Approval: Let go in the first half?

At the same time as the results of the safety inspections were announced, the recent State Council meeting also discussed and adopted in principle the "12th Five-Year Plan for Nuclear Safety and Radioactive Pollution Prevention and Control and the Vision for 2020" ("Planning").

The "planning" stated that the fundamental principle of China's nuclear safety and radioactive pollution prevention and control is: safety first and quality first; basic principles are: prevention-oriented, defense in depth, equal old and new, combined prevention and control, relying on science and technology, continuous improvement, and persistence. The rule of law, strict supervision, openness, transparency, and coordinated development.

“This is in line with the thinking of many ordinary people and experts.” Teng Wuxiao, director of Fudan University’s public safety center, emphasized to reporters several times before. “In the future, nuclear power construction and the current development of nuclear power are all based on safety, not Economic data is used as an indicator."

From the media's point of view, the appearance of "Planning" was tantamount to opening a "half door" for the re-approval of nuclear power projects. According to sources quoted by the nuclear power company, "it is expected that China's nuclear power project approval will be re-opened soon, and approval is expected to begin in the first half of the year."

In fact, the "reopening of approval in the first half of the year" has long been the consensus of the industry. As early as December 19 last year, Lu Yachen, vice president of Shanghai Electric Group Corporation and president of Shanghai Electric Heavy Industry Group, publicly stated that “it is expected that the re-opening of nuclear power will be before the first half of 2012.”

“It is expected to be open for approval or slightly optimistic in the first half of the year.” Lin Boqiang told the “International Finance News” reporter, “Because China’s nuclear power development still needs to wait for some other 'passes', but it also needs the full authority of the National Development and Reform Commission and many other departments. examination passed."

According to the consensus of the industry, other "passes" mainly refer to "China Nuclear Power Safety Plan" and "2020 Nuclear Power Medium-term and Long-term Plan". The good news here is that Qian Zhimin, deputy director of the National Energy Administration, interviewed the media when he attended an open forum in early May. “The current mid- and long-term development plan for nuclear power in 2020 and nuclear safety planning "" Has been reviewed and passed by the National Energy Administration, and reported to the National Development and Reform Commission. "And Wang Binghua's public expression is that these two documents have been completed and are expected to be discussed and discussed at the State Council executive meeting recently. He believes that "if two documents are passed, China's nuclear power construction will be reopened."