US, France Assessing Alleged Gas Leak At Chinese Nuclear Site

The United States and France have been assessing reports claiming that a nuclear reactor at a Chinese power plant in the southeastern Guangdong province was leaking fission gas

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th June, 2021) The United States and France have been assessing reports claiming that a nuclear reactor at a Chinese power plant in the southeastern Guangdong province was leaking fission gas.

The US Department of Energy received a request on June 3 from French company Framatome that part owns the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant asking for a waiver that would allow them to share US technical expertise to resolve the issue, CNN reported.

The US government spent the past week assessing what Framatome described as an "imminent radiological threat." The National Security Council held two meeting at the deputy and assistant secretary levels. The conclusion so far is that the plant is not at a "crisis level.

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Framatome, which is mainly owned by the French state utility EDF, reportedly said that the Chinese authorities have been raising the acceptable limits for radiation to avoid shutting the facility down. EDF said it was aware of the gas leak.

"EDF has been informed of an increase in the concentration of certain rare gases... The presence of certain rare gases in the Primary circuit is a known phenomenon, which has been studied and foreseen by the operating procedures," a statement read.

EDF, which holds a 30% stake in the plant through a joint venture with the Chinese energy giant CGN, said it had called for an extraordinary board meeting.