Instant China
Written by: Lin Zhiying
2021-06-16 13:50
Last update date: 2021-06-16 13:50
CNN reported on Monday (14) that Framatome, the French partner of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant, appealed to the U.S. Department of Energy for help at the end of May on the grounds that "the nuclear power plant may face a threat of nuclear leakage." .
The relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (National Nuclear Safety Administration) of China stated today (16th) that according to environmental monitoring results, there was no abnormality in the radiation environment around the nuclear power plant, and no leakage occurred. He also emphasized that the National Nuclear Safety Administration did not approve the increase in Taishan. Acceptable limits for radiation detection outside nuclear power plants.
Two EPR (European Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor) nuclear power units in Taishan Nuclear Power Plant.
(Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Co., Ltd.)
According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant has two EPR (European Advanced Pressurized Water Reactor) nuclear power units, which are designed by the French Framatome and constructed and operated by a Sino-French joint venture.
Since the construction of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant began, the National Nuclear Safety Administration has been strictly supervising it in accordance with laws and regulations.
Among them, Unit 1 was put into commercial operation on December 13, 2018, and Unit 2 was put into commercial operation on September 7, 2019.
At present, both units have entered the second fuel cycle.
Since being put into commercial operation, the two units of Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Co., Ltd. have been operating safely and stably, and the surrounding environment has not been abnormal.
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment explained that during the operation of Unit 1 of Taishan Nuclear Power Plant, the specific activity of the coolant in the primary circuit of the reactor (that is, the amount of radioactivity contained in unit volume or weight) was monitored to increase, but the nuclear power plant was still in operation. The operating safety of nuclear power plants is guaranteed within the scope of allowable stable operation as stipulated in the book and meets the requirements of technical specifications.
The increased level of radioactivity in the primary circuit of Unit 1 is mainly related to the damage of the fuel rods.
Due to the influence of uncontrollable factors such as fuel manufacturing, transportation, loading, etc., a small amount of fuel rod damage during the operation of nuclear power plants is unavoidable, which is a common phenomenon.
According to relevant data, many nuclear power plants in the world have experienced fuel rod damage and continued operation.
There are more than 60,000 fuel rods in the core of Unit 1 of Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. At present, it is estimated that the number of damaged fuel rod claddings is about 5, and the proportion of damaged fuel rods is less than 0.01% of the total, which is much lower than the maximum damage ratio of fuel assemblies assumed in the design. (0.25%).
Taishan Nuclear Power Plant.
(Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture Co., Ltd.)
US media reported that the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant had a radiological leakage accident, and in order to avoid the shutdown, the National Nuclear Safety Administration approved an increase in the acceptable limit of radiation detection outside the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant.
In this regard, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment clarified that the increase in the level of radioactivity in the primary circuit is very different from the radioactive leakage accident.
The primary circuit is inside the reactor. As long as the pressure boundary of the reactor coolant system and the containment containment as a radioactive containment barrier meet the requirements, there is no problem of radioactivity leaking to the environment.
At present, the monitoring results of the radiation environment around the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant show that there is no abnormality in the radiation environment level around the nuclear power plant, which is at a background level, indicating that no leakage has occurred.
As for whether the National Nuclear Safety Administration’s approval to increase the acceptable limits for radiation detection outside the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant is true, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment emphasized that the National Nuclear Safety Administration only approves the inert gas of the reactor coolant in the technical specifications of the primary circuit chemistry and radiochemistry of the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. The relevant limit of the specific activity of radioactivity, and this limit is used for operation management and has nothing to do with the radiation detection outside the nuclear power plant, so the relevant report is not true.
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment pointed out that the National Nuclear Safety Administration will continue to closely monitor the radioactivity level of the primary circuit of Taishan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 1, strengthen on-site supervision and environmental monitoring; guide and supervise the operating unit to take measures to strictly control the radioactivity level of the primary circuit and strictly abide by the operation technology Specifications to ensure the safe operation of Unit 1.
At the same time, it will maintain communication with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the French nuclear safety regulatory authority.
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