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Tests reveal crack in key component of Chinese nuclear power plant, 130km west of Hong Kong

12 December 2017  FactWire  https://www.hongkongfp.com/2017/12/12/tests-reveal-crack-key-component-chinese-nuclear-power-plant-130km-west-hong-kong/

A component of Taishan nuclear power plant – which sits 130km west of Hong Kong – cracked during performance tests amid safety concerns about further delays, FactWire has learnt from multiple reliable sources.

State-owned China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN) entered a joint venture with French utility Électricité de France (EDF) and began building the plant in 2009, but its completion has been repeatedly delayed.

Taishan nuclear plant

CGN Power, a Hong Kong-listed subsidiary of CGN, has previously said in an operational briefing document and the 2017 interim report that Taishan Unit 1 had entered the stage of hot functional testing and would be ready for commercial operation by the end of 2017.

However, a “boiler” in Unit 1 appeared to have cracked during functional testing and must be replaced, according to a nuclear plant employee.

He also told FactWire undercover reporters when they visited the site last month that representatives from Harbin Electric, the Chinese manufacturer of the “boiler,” came to the plant for a week in late October to discuss with the plant operator, Taishan Nuclear Power Joint Venture, a plan to replace the faulty part.

Taishan nuclear plant

The “boiler” device is used to create steam by adding heat energy to water. Several components of the nuclear reactors in Taishan fit this definition, including reactor pressure vessels, steam generators, moisture separator reheaters, low pressure heaters, high pressure heaters and deaerators. Only the deaerator was produced in Harbin.

As a key component and a secondary coolant loop equipment, a deaerator removes dissolved oxygen by adding heat to water. The deaerated water then travels to the steam generator and be compressed into high-pressure steam, which can used to generate electricity.

Taishan nuclear plant

According to documents from CGN, the deaerator of Taishan Unit 1 is 46.6 metres in length and 4.76 metres in diameter. It was broken into three smaller parts for shipment and then assembled on site by welding them together. It also needs to go through a waterproof test to ensure there are no cracks or water leaks before it goes into operation.

In 2008, a consortium of Dongfang Electric and French manufacturer Alstom won a contract to supply several components for Taishan Unit 1. The consortium then subcontracted the manufacturing of the deaerator to Harbin Boiler, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed Harbin Electric. General Electric acquired Alstom’s power and grid businesses in 2015.

Last week, a Dongfang Electric engineer also confirmed to FactWire that the deaerator was supplied by Harbin Electric and the welding on the deaerator was “problematic.”

Taishan nuclear plant

The National Nuclear Safety Administration of China stipulates that a nuclear plant must seek permission from the agency before loading fuel assemblies to conduct tests. But public records show that Taishan Unit 1 has yet to receive such a permit.

CGN, Dongfang Electric, General Electric, Harbin Boiler and Harbin Electric did not respond to FactWire’s requests for comment.

 

December 13, 2017 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A Special Team To Secure The Bengali Republic Day Parade From Nuclear And Chemical Threats

Part 3 – Exactly a year ago I found a heavily censored story and did 3 posts that got little attention but is relevant to this months theme on nuclear weapons proliferation using low technology techniques that are being planned to be built by ISIS (or whatever their new re branding is)

arclight2011part2's avatarActivist news source

From Google translate

New Delhi, January 4: the impregnable fortress on the occasion of the Republic Day in New Delhi l President from becoming prime minister, foreign dignitaries, including the countries that are protected, to begin preparations for the Republic Day Parade l Army during the attack of any sort is not so, for final l warn army

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Republic Day in Delhi Police has trained l Air Force aerial attacks of any kind, so that the police can handle initially, he has been training for l On the other hand, a special force for the first time can be seen in the Republic Day parade chemical hamalarodhaka l for any kind of chemical attack If the order is given up, it will be prepared for the disaster due to the force of the l mokabilakari force (NDRF) A team with more than 90 people CBRN- day stay at l

Sources…

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December 13, 2017 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

ISIS and nuclear Armageddon? – Exclusive to nuclear-news.net

Part 2 – Exactlty a year ago I found a heavily censored story and did 3 posts that got little attention but is relevant to this months theme on nuclear weapons proliferation using low technology techniques that are being planned to be built by ISIS (or whatever their new re branding is) Part 3 to follow…

arclight2011part2's avatarnuclear-news

arclightISIS and nuclear Armageddon? – Exclusive to nuclear-news.net

“…However we look at it, as we hear the PR call for more and/or better nuclear weapons, the issue of nuclear weapons grade materials escaping from countries like the Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Pakistan etc and also the possibility of theft from large nuclear reprocessing complexes in the west like Sellafield, La Hague, Hanford, Negev Nuclear Research Center etc means that huge resources will have to be spent defending these places that will not be accounted for in costing nuclear power and reprocessing to the tax payer with no guarantee that corrupt practices now or in the future will not circumvent them…..”

elephant-terror-in-room1.gif

Following the article (Link ref 1 below) I picked up from India and posted to nuclear-news.net, I shared it to Fukushima 311 Watchdogs (F311W) . As an Admin on F311 W I later checked the statistics and found a small number of…

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December 13, 2017 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

India to host international nuclear security meet next week after nuclear materials were found near Mumbai

Part 1 – Exactlty a year ago I found a heavily censored story and did 3 posts that got little attention but is relevant to this months theme on nuclear weapons proliferation using low technology techniques that are being planned to be built by ISIS (or whatever their new re branding is) Part 2 to follow…

arclight2011part2's avatarnuclear-news

damage_zones_distances

Feb 5, 2017,

New Delhi: Noting that possible use of weapons of mass destruction and related material by terrorists is no longer a theoretical concern, India will host a key meet on nuclear security here next week which will be attended by delegated from over 100 countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in coordination with the Department of Atomic Energy is hosting the Implementation and Assessment Group Meeting of the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) on February 8-10.

Approximately 150 delegates from various GICNT partner countries and international organisations will participate in this event, a statement by the MEA said.

It said the development was pursuant to the announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Nuclear Security Summit last year.

It said the event highlights India’s commitment to global nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy and is part of its overall engagement with…

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December 13, 2017 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Trump, ready to make it easy for Saudi Arabia to get ‘peaceful” nuclear, AND nuclear weapons

Trump Considers Easing Nuclear Rules for Saudi Project https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-12-12/trump-is-said-to-consider-easing-nuclear-rules-for-saudi-project By Jennifer Jacobs,  Ari Natter,and Jennifer A Dlouhy  

  • Westinghouse is looking for new markets after bankruptcy
  • Past deals barred uranium enrichment for overseas projects

The Trump administration is encouraging Saudi Arabia to consider bids by Westinghouse Electric Co. and other U.S. companies to build nuclear reactors in that country and may allow the enrichment of uranium as part of that deal, according to three people familiar with the plans.

 Energy Secretary Rick Perry visited Saudi Arabia this month where the projects were discussed, according to two people. The people familiar asked not to be identified discussing the confidential negotiations.
Previous U.S. agreements have prohibited the enrichment and reprocessing of uranium, and that had scuttled negotiations to use U.S. technology in Saudi nuclear projects during the Obama administration. The administration is mulling easing that requirement now as a way to help Westinghouse and other companies win Saudi Arabian contracts, two people said.

A meeting to hammer out details of the nuclear cooperation agreement, known as a 123 Agreement for the section of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act that requires it, will be held at the White House Wednesday, two administration officials said.

A successful U.S. bid would help deliver on President Donald Trump’s promise to revive and revitalize the domestic nuclear industry, helping American companies edge out Russian and Chinese competitors to build new fleets around the world. Saudi Arabia plans to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 20 to 25 years at a cost of more than $80 billion, according to the World Nuclear Association.

Westinghouse, the nuclear technology pioneer that is part of Toshiba Corp., went bankrupt in March, after it hit delays with its AP1000 reactors at two U.S. plants. After it declared bankruptcy, Westinghouse — whose technology is used in more than half the world’s nuclear power plants — said it shifted its focus to expanding outside the U.S.

Winning contracts in Saudi Arabia could provide a new market that Westinghouse needs and provide at least a partial vindication for the investment in the AP1000 technology.

“Westinghouse is pleased that Saudi Arabia has decided to pursue nuclear energy,” Sarah Cassella, a spokeswoman, said in a emailed statement. “We are fully participating in their request for information and are pleased to provide the AP1000 plant, the industry’s most advanced technology.”

Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, said weakening the prohibition against enrichment and reprocessing, often referred to as “the gold standard,” is disturbing given what he said was Saudi Arabia’s “sub-par nuclear nonproliferation record.”

“We shouldn’t compromise our longstanding efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons in order to play favorites with certain companies or countries,” he said in an email, calling the idea “disturbing and counterproductive.”

— With assistance by Chris Martin

December 13, 2017 Posted by | marketing, politics international, Saudi Arabia, USA | Leave a comment