A Shandong reader, Zhang Han, of Guangming Daily, a Beijing-based Chinese language newspaper, recently asked the newspaper about what safety measures are in place in China to guide the nuclear power industry. A Guangming Daily editor did some research to provide a description of the China's nuclear safety regulatory system.

Nuclear power and security management is managed by the China National Nuclear Corporation, a special division directly under the State Council of China that is empowered by the State Council to govern nuclear power factories and their safe operation.

China National Nuclear Corporation set up in October 1984 a special supervising bureau, the National Nuclear Safety Administration, to inspect and direct the construction, operation and security management of nuclear power factories. As an independent nuclear safety regulatory authority, the National Nuclear Safety Administration is responsible for overseeing civil nuclear facilities in accordance with Chinese law. The State Environmental Protection Administration and the Ministry of Health are in charge of inspection and evaluation on environment quality and personal security respectively and independently. The State Council has promulgated the Regulations on Supervision of Nuclear Facilities. The National Nuclear Safety Administration, the State Environmental Protection Administration and the Ministry of Health have issued safety-related rules concerning selection, design, operation, quality control, radiation protection and waste disposal as well as basic radioactivity standards. China National Nuclear Corporation also has drafted a series of technology standards in a graduated series of improvements to the safety system.

Operators of a nuclear power plants, before the construction of workshops and operations, must apply with the National Nuclear Safety Administration for a safety license and also submit to the administration a preliminary and a final safety analysis report. In the meantime they need to submit environmental impact reports to the State Environmental Protection Administration. The two administrations organize separate reviews of the reports by related experts, and the administrations will also seek advice from the professional groups of nuclear safety and environmental protection expert committees concerning existing problems as well as the opinions of the relevant departments of the State Council and the local government. Safety licenses are issued only when all conditions concerning the construction and operation of the nuclear power plant conform to the relevant state rules. Operators cannot start corresponding work without the licenses.

The designing of the plant is required to take into consideration of the most serious natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunami, tropical storms and flood so that the reactors can close safely in case of a disaster to avoid damage to local people and natural environment.

In addition, the designers should also consider such accidents as dam collapse, plane crash, traffic accidents and chemical factory accidents which may happen in the area of the plant.

Waste treatment facilities must be designed, built and put into operation at the same time with the principal project to recycle wastes and reduce discharge to the minimum. Solid residues including those that are converted from radioactive liquid waste are forbidden to be discharged. Worker's bath water and washing water cannot be discharged without treatment being up to standard. Gas waste must be refined and absorbed and filtered before discharge at a high altitude. Waste discharge of nuclear power plants must strictly follow the national standards. In fact, the level of discharged radiation materials is far below the regulated standard.

(光明日报[Guangming Daily], translated by Li Liangdu for china.org.cn, May 11, 2002)