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China to cut back its nuclear power plans

China nuclear targets to be cut after Fukushima -industry, Oct 21, 2011, HONG KONG Oct 21 (Reuters) – China’s 2020 nuclear capacity targets are likely to be scaled down after the country imposed a moratorium on new project approvals following the Fukushima disaster in Japan in March, industry officials said on Friday.

China was originally scheduled to release a revised blueprint for its nuclear sector this year, with many predicting a new 2020 target of 86 GW, up from the previous 40 GW….. In March, the government ordered a nationwide inspection of existing plants and construction sites in order to allay public disquiet about the safety of nuclear power…..

Areas of concern included the safety of the many “second-generation” reactors set to go into operation, the shortage of qualified safety and operational personnel, and the possible construction of nuclear projects in seismically vulnerable provinces like Sichuan.

Officials have suggested that no new second-generation reactors will be approved, leaving the way clear for third-generation models designed by France’s Areva and U.S.-based Westinghouse, owned by Toshiba …. “We should ensure the safety of nuclear energy before coming up with new projects,” said Zhao Chengkun, vice-chairman of the CNEA….. http://af.reuters.com/article/metalsNews/idAFL3E7LL0EM20111021

October 23, 2011 Posted by | China, politics | Leave a comment

Shanghai bans Japanese cargo with high levels of radiation

Cargo banned due to levels of radiation, English East Day, 18 Oct 11 EXCESSIVE levels of radiation have been discovered in cargo arriving in Shanghai from Japan, following the nuclear leak there in March, authorities said yesterday.

Goods with higher than permitted levels of radiation were either returned or destroyed, the Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau said. Officials said some ships from Japan also had radiation levels above national limits.

The bureau insisted that checks have remained stringent since an earthquake and tsunami crippled a nuclear power station in Fukushima in eastern Japan and led to radiation escaping. “Inspections cover travelers, ships, flights and cargo,” said Lu Zhongshan, deputy director of the bureau.”We can assure the public that no radiation-polluted goods are allowed to enter the country.”…. http://english.eastday.com/e/111018/u1a6157077.htm

October 18, 2011 Posted by | China, politics | Leave a comment

China’s underground nuclear network

US worries over China’s underground nuclear network, Google News, AFP – 15 Oct 11,  WASHINGTON — A leading US lawmaker who fears budget cuts could delay modernizing the US nuclear arsenal voiced concern Friday about an extensive tunnel complex designed to house Chinese nuclear missiles. “This network of tunnels could be in excess of 5,000 kilometers (3,110 miles), and is used to transport nuclear weapons and forces,” said Michael Turner, who chairs a House Armed Services Committee panel focusing on strategic weapons and other security programs.

“As we strive to make our nuclear forces more transparent, China is building this underground tunnel system to make its nuclear forces even more opaque,” he added, citing an unclassified Department of Defense report. Experts also expressed their concern about the network, whose existence was revealed by official Chinese media in late 2009.

The tunnels would allow China to launch a nuclear counter-attack if it was hit by a nuclear strike. “It’s almost mind-boggling,” said Mark Schneider, senior analyst at the National Institute for Public Policy. “It has enormous implications in terms of their view toward nuclear warfare, survivability of their systems and their leadership in the event of war.

“It is virtually impossible to target anything like that, irrespective of how many nuclear weapons you have,” he added.Richard Fisher of the International Assessment and Strategy Center said the tunnel complex could allow the Chinese army to conceal its weapons. “Do we really know how many missiles the Chinese have today?” he asked…. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iHO_kCCLQm86s29jw45FIx6EkdLQ?docId=CNG.19cbae00c31007ab44469985e8a939e2.6a1

October 15, 2011 Posted by | China, Reference, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Shanghai’s radiation security scanners potentially dangerous, and illegal

Metro’s X-ray machines are ‘illegal’ English east Day.com, from Shanghai News, 11 Oct 11 ALL 528 X-ray security inspection machines in Shanghai’s Metro stations are “illegal devices” operating without radiation safety licenses, officials with the city’s environmental protection bureau said yesterday. Continue reading →

October 11, 2011 Posted by | China, safety | 2 Comments

Radioactive pollution from rare earths processing in China

China Re-Nationalizes Rare Earths – Part One, Metal Miner by STUART on SEPTEMBER 19, 2011 That China has suffered severe and widespread pollution from the mining and refining of rare earth elements (REE) is not in doubt —

The New York Times reported this week that China had largely shut down its rare earth industry for three months to address pollution problems. Officials confirm evidence visible by satellite that large tracks around both legal and illegal mine sites have become wastelands…….

Although the illicit operation was finally closed down,  pollution nightmares continue to haunt residents as toxic water from waste heaps and the makeshift mine finds its way into creeks and ultimately to the drinking water supply system. Nor is drinking water the only medium affected; REE are found in association with thorium, making waste from the refining process radioactive…..
Apparently the government also plans to consolidate 80 percent of the production from southern China — which produces the rest of China’s rare earths — into three companies within the next year or two. All three of these companies are former ministries of the Chinese government that were spun out as corporations, and the central government still owns most of the shares. These actions will at least ensure Beijing achieves control of mining and refining; if pollution remains a problem, they only have themselves to blame.http://agmetalminer.com/2011/09/19/china-re-nationalizes-rare-earths-part-one/

September 22, 2011 Posted by | China, Uranium, wastes | Leave a comment

China’s developing solar energy empire

with Beijing heavily supporting its industry, the Chinese companies are forging ahead..Instead of subsidizing the purchase and use of solar power, China has focused on building the competitiveness of the country’s manufacturers. As a result, China exports 95 percent of the solar panels it produces.

China benefits as U.S. solar industry withers, NYT 1 Sept 11, HONG KONG — The bankruptcies of three American solar power companies in the last month, including Solyndra of California on Wednesday, have left China’s industry with a dominant sales position — almost three-fifths of the world’s production capacity — and rapidly declining costs. Continue reading →

September 2, 2011 Posted by | business and costs, China | 1 Comment

China’s former nuclear chief a spy, as well as corrupt?

CHINA’S NUCLEAR-POWER CHIEF: A SPY?, New Yorker, by  August 11 When Kang Rixin, the head of China’s nuclear-power program, was sentenced to life in prison last November for taking bribes, it was a troubling enough piece of news. Given the speed, scale, and ambition of China’s nuclear program—it has more plants in the planning stage than the rest of the world combined—it did not project reassuring evidence that China has shielded this crucial program from the kind of construction-corruption that has dogged the high-speed rail system.

Today brought startling news. Midway through a video leaked on the Chinese Web, a senior military official explains previously unknown details about major spying cases uncovered in recent years, including the fact that bribery was hardly the most serious accusation against Kang. He is accused of selling secrets about China’s nuclear power industry to foreign countries. “Kang’s case can’t be made public because the damage he has done by selling secrets was a lot more devastating than economic losses,” Major General Jin Yinan said in the video.  If true, it would make Kang one of China’s highest-ranking figures to be accused of spying…  http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/evanosnos/2011/08/chinas-nuclear-power-chief-a-spy.html#ixzz1WZ6kGrJ1

August 30, 2011 Posted by | China, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

China ramping up its renewable energy goals

China revises up 2015 renewable energy goals: report, by Jim Bai and Chen Aizhu; Editing by Ken Wills, BEIJING   Aug 29, 2011   (Reuters) – China will raise development targets for renewable energy such as wind power for the five-year period through 2015, state media reported on Tuesday, as the world’s top energy user and carbon emitter aims to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

The country aims to have 100 gigawatts (GW) of on-grid wind power generating capacity by the end of 2015 and to generate 190 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of wind power annually, the China Securities Journal reported, citing a government plan.

The goal was higher than a target of 90 GW proposed earlier by the National Energy Administration…..http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/30/us-china-energy-renewable-idUSTRE77T0CM20110830

August 30, 2011 Posted by | China, renewable | Leave a comment

Pentagon’s lack of transparency about China’s nuclear weapons

What the numbers we’re allowed to see indicate is that China’s missile force has been largely stagnant over the past year …. China does not appear to have any operational sea-launched ballistic missiles at this point……
 within the past 12 months it has become a great deal harder for the international community to monitor the development of the offensive nuclear missile forces of the United States, Russia and China.
 Pentagon’s 2011 China Report: Reducing Nuclear Transparency, FAS Security Blog, By Hans M. Kristensen, 25 Aug 11,  The Pentagon has published its annual assessment of China’s military power (the official title is Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China).…..Land-Based Nuclear Missiles

The most noticeable new development compared with last year’s report is that the Pentagon this year has decided to significantly reduce the transparency of China’s land-based nuclear missile force. Continue reading →

August 29, 2011 Posted by | China, USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

China stregthening nuclear missiles, in distrust of India

China has strengthened nuclear missiles as deterrent against India: U.S. THE HINDU, NARAYAN LAKSHMAN, 25 AUG 11, China has substituted liquid-fuelled, nuclear-capable missiles with “more advanced and survivable solid-fuelled” rocket systems, and this has been explicitly aimed at “[strengthening] its deterrent posture relative to India,” according to an annual report on the developments within the Chinese military, authored by the United States Pentagon…..

Despite burgeoning defence rapprochement manifested in the Sino-Indian Annual Defence Dialogue established in 2007, India had pulled out of high-level military exchanges following China’s denial of a visa to a senior Indian general in 2010, the Pentagon report said.

Although Premier Wen Jiabao attempted to mend fences during his December 2010 visit to New Delhi “he did not address serious irritants… [and] a high degree of mistrust continues to strain the bilateral relationship,” the report added…..http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2397247.ece

August 26, 2011 Posted by | China, weapons and war | Leave a comment

China finding excessive radiation levels in seafoods east of Fukushima

Excessive Radiation Found in Sea Organisms Near Japan’s Nuke Plant 2011-08-24     Xinhua       Web Editor: Guo  Biological samples taken from waters in the Western Pacific region east of Fukushima, Japan show excessive radiation levels, said a statement from China’s State Oceanic Administration on Wednesday.
The administration suggested that government agencies intensify radiation testing of marine products from the targeted waters to protect public health in China. According to the statement, the levels of strontium-90, a radioactive isotope of strontium, found in squids are 29 times higher than the average background level of samples taken from China’s coastal waters.  This indicates that these waters have been clearly affected by radioactive material that leaked from the crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima during the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster on March 11, the statement said.

The samples were also found to contain argentum-110m and cesium-134, which are normally difficult to detect in biological samples from China’s coastal waters, the statement said. Continue reading →

August 25, 2011 Posted by | China, oceans | Leave a comment

Critical need for China to be more transparent about nuclear issues

 it’s critical that the nation develop a clear understanding of the challenges and potential dangers.  A certain amount of transparency, including when things go wrong, will help alleviate unnecessary misperceptions and misunderstandings in the region and beyond.

China’s nuclear sub needs, The Diplomat, By Manpreet Sethi, August 15, 2011 The past couple of weeks have seen a number of reports over a rumoured radiation leak from a 094 type Chinese nuclear submarine stationed near Dalian port. The incident is said to have occurred as electronic equipment was being installed on the sub.

Continue reading →

August 16, 2011 Posted by | China, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Sounding the alarm on China’s plans for nuclear technology

Chinese decision-makers should avoid being overly confident about untried safety technologies. No matter how sound newer-generation nuclear technologies appear, such technologies may never have been sufficiently tested in any part of the world. All newer-generation nuclear technologies still impose significant risks in terms of design experience, construction safety and operational reliability

A warning for China’s nuclear sector, China dialogue, Kevin Jianjun Tu, August 10, 2011  “………The deadly Wenzhou [train] crash highlights the dangers of mega-infrastructure projects moving too far, too fast. Chinese decision-makers should take note, argues Kevin Jianjun Tu…..

Fukushima sounded warning bells with the Chinese government and gave policymakers another chance to reconsider plans for 2020. At a March 16 meeting chaired by premier Wen Jiabao, the State Council decided to call a temporary halt to approval of new nuclear-power plants pending new safety rules, and to adjust mid- and long-term nuclear power plans. This indicated a more cautious national strategy for nuclear power development.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of effective checks and balances on nuclear interest groups, there are signs that the great nuclear leap forward is reemerging. Continue reading →

August 12, 2011 Posted by | China, safety, technology | Leave a comment

China’s rail disaster – a prelude to nuclear disaster?

The breadth of Chinese ambitions to indigenize foreign technologies and scale them for mass deployment has simply outpaced its ability to plan, operate and staff these complex undertakings in a safe and sustainable manner. This is true in the case of high-speed rail, and it threatens to become the overarching storyline for the country’s nuclear energy program.

Wenzhou Train Crash Highlights Risks of China’s Nuclear Program Epoch Times,  July 29, 2011 by ML  COULD A TECHNOLOGY mishap akin to Saturday’s deadly train crash near Wenzhou, China happen at one of China’s 40 operating or planned nuclear power reactors?….. Experts are attributing China’s high-speed rail woes to its policies of adapting foreign technologies without the means to adequately operate and maintain them.

The risky strategy isn’t just being used by China’s Ministry of Railways, it’s also the foundation of the country’s nuclear power program. Continue reading →

July 30, 2011 Posted by | China, safety | Leave a comment

China touts ‘fast breeder’ nuclear reactor, but it’s an unlikely energy solution

the process hasn’t proved workable on a large scale elsewhere. Fast-breeder programs have been abandoned in a number of countries, including the U.S., and the plants that remain are small.

China’s Nuclear Scientists Unveil Latest ‘Breakthrough, WSJ, James T. Areddy, 21 July 11, “…..The China Institute of Atomic Energy said Thursday that a small, experimental “fast breeder” reactor outside Beijing had been hooked to the grid to produce electricity. …. Continue reading →

July 21, 2011 Posted by | China, technology | Leave a comment

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