China halts nuclear approval
CHINA has suspended approval for proposed nuclear power plants and is making a comprehensive safety check of atomic plants following Japan’s nuclear crisis, the State Council said yesterday.
The State Council meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao told Chinese residents that they had nothing to fear about radiation drifting from the Fukushima Daiichi plant.
But China’s own nuclear power plans would come under tougher scrutiny, said the summary of the meeting on the government’s Web site.
The State Council called for use of “the most advanced standards” to proceed with a safety assessment of all nuclear plants under construction.
“Any hazards must be thoroughly dealt with, and those that do not conform to safety standards must immediately cease construction,” the statement said.
China wants nuclear power to play a big role in its plans to cut dependence on coal over the next decade and local governments across the country have been vying for the investment, jobs and kudos that the new plants would bring.
China is building about 28 reactors, or roughly 40 percent of the world’s total under construction, and the Central Government has fast-tracked nuclear project approvals in the past two years.



