Beijing (AFP)
Framatome, a subsidiary of the French group EDF, announced Monday to monitor "the evolution of one of the operating parameters" of the Taishan nuclear power plant in southern China, after CNN reported a possible radioactive leak at the site .
The plant "is in its field of operation and authorized safety", specifies in a statement to AFP Framatome which participated in the construction of the plant.
The two Taishan reactors are so far the only EPRs to have entered service in the world.
Other units are under construction in Finland, France and the United Kingdom.
CNN, on the basis of a letter sent by Framatome to the US Department of Energy, reported a possible "leak" in this plant, which includes two EPR reactors of French technology, built by EDF.
Still according to the American channel, the Chinese safety authorities have also raised the acceptable limits of radiation outside the site to avoid having to shut down the plant.
"Framatome provides support for the analysis of the evolution of one of the operating parameters of the Taishan nuclear power plant", said the French company, without ever talking about a leak or saying which of these "parameters" was monitored. .
"Based on the information available, the unit is within its authorized operating and safety area," she added, without further clarification.
For its part, the operator of the plant, China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), reported in a press release of "normal" environmental indicators, without however making direct reference to CNN information.
"At present, continuous monitoring of environmental data shows that the environmental indicators of the Taishan nuclear power plant and its surroundings are normal," said the Chinese group, which did not respond to requests for information from AFP.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also did not respond to AFP's requests.
In France, the government, the Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission (CEA), the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) and EDF had not immediately commented.
The two Taishan units started up in 2018 and 2019.
EDF is a 30% shareholder in the joint venture responsible for building and operating these two reactors of 1,750 MW each.
The Chinese groups CGN and Guangdong Energy Group have respective stakes of 51% and 19%.
China has about fifty reactors in operation, which ranks it third in the world behind the United States and France.
Last month, Russian Presidents Vladimir Putin and Chinese Presidents Xi Jinping welcomed the start of construction work on new reactors in China in partnership with the Russian agency Rosatom.
© 2021 AFP