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A30 world news
Diamars 15 Juni 2021

Operator says China nuclear plant facing 'performance issue'

(AP) — The French joint roundings are normal.”
operator of a Chinese
nuclear plant near Hong It did not refer to any prob-
Kong said Monday that lems, and said “All operating
the plant is dealing with a indicators of the two units
“performance issue” but is have met the requirements of
currently operating with- nuclear safety regulations and
in safety limits, following power plant technical specifi-
a report of a potential ra- cations.”
dioactive leak.
The United Nation’s nuclear
The Taishan Nuclear Power watchdog, the International
Plant is jointly owned by Atomic Energy Agency, told
China Guangdong Nuclear The Associated Press that it
Power Group and French was aware of the media re-
multinational electric util- ports and was in contact with
ity Électricité de France, the its counterpart in China.
main owner of Framotome,
which helps operate the “At this stage, the agency has
plant. no indication that a radio-
logical incident occurred,”
“Framatome is supporting the Vienna-based IAEA said
resolution of a performance in a written response to ques-
issue with the Taishan Nu- tions.
clear Power Plant in Guang-
dong province, China,” Fra- Observatory, which monitors a statement Monday that it hold a meeting of its board of The agency said it would
matome said in a short state- radiation around the city. had been informed of the directors so that management share more information
ment Monday. increase in concentration of “presents all the data and the when it became available.
CNN reported Monday that “certain rare gases” in the pri- necessary decisions.”
“According to the data avail- Framotome had written to mary circuit of reactor No. 1 The two reactors entered
able, the plant is operating the U.S. Department of En- at the Taishan plant. Chinese authorities in Bei- commercial operation in De-
within the safety parameters,” ergy warning of an “immi- jing and Guangdong did not cember 2018 and September
it said. “Our team is working nent radiological threat” and “The presence of certain rare immediately respond to at- 2019, the local city govern-
with relevant experts to assess accusing Chinese authorities gases in the primary circuit is tempts to seek comment on ment said on its website.
the situation and propose so- of raising acceptable lim- a known phenomenon, stud- Monday, a public holiday. They are the first of a new
lutions to address any poten- its for radiation outside the ied and foreseen by the oper- type called European Pres-
tial issue.” plant to avoid having to shut ating procedures of the reac- The plant issued a statement surized Reactors to become
it down. CNN said U.S. of- tors,” it said. on Sunday saying “At pres- operational in the world.
Radiation levels in Hong ficials believed the current ent, continuous monitoring Construction began earlier
Kong, 135 kilometers (85 situation at the plant did not The utility said it is provid- of environmental data shows on two other EPRs in Fin-
miles) from the Taishan plant, present a severe safety threat. ing its expertise and has re- that the environmental in- land and France, but they
were normal on Monday, ac- quested that the joint venture dicators of Taishan Nuclear continue to face costly delays.
cording to the Hong Kong Électricité de France said in company that runs the plant Power Plant and its sur-

UK's Johnson delays lockdown easing for England by 4 weeks

(AP) — British Prime vaccinated against the virus. by “data not dates” and would Across Europe, many coun-
Minister Boris Johnson He said that by July 19, two- Under the government’s plan seek to be “irreversible.” tries, including France, have
confirmed Monday that thirds of the British popula- for coming out of lockdown, tightened restrictions for
the next planned relax- tion will have been double- all restrictions on social con- The speed at which new British travelers to prevent
ation of coronavirus re- vaccinated. tact were set to be lifted next coronavirus infections have the delta variant from spread-
strictions in England will Monday. Many businesses, been rising had piled the ing. Others, like Spain, are
be delayed by four weeks, “I think it is sensible to wait particularly those in hospital- pressure on Johnson to delay allowing British tourists to
until July 19, as a result just a little longer,” he said. ity and entertainment, voiced the reopening so more peo- arrive without being required
of the spread of the delta “Now is the time to ease off their disappointment ahead ple can get vaccinated. to take a test if they have been
variant. the accelerator, because by of the official announcement. fully vaccinated.
being cautious now we have On Monday, the British gov-
In a press briefing, Johnson the chance in the next four The delta variant first found ernment reported 7,742 new Despite concerns about the
voiced his confidence that weeks to save many thou- in India is estimated by scien- confirmed cases, one of the delta variant, the U.K.’s vac-
he won’t need to delay the sands of lives by vaccinating tists advising the government highest daily numbers since cine rollout has won plaudits
plan to lift restrictions on millions more people.” to be between 40% and 80% the end of February. Daily as one of the world’s speedi-
social contact further, as mil- more transmissible than the infections have increased est and most coherent. As of
lions more people get fully Accompanying the decision previous dominant strain. It threefold over the past few Monday, around 62% of the
to delay the easing, John- now accounts for more than weeks but are still way down British population had re-
son said the government has 90% of infections in the U.K. from the nearly 70,000 daily ceived one shot, while about
brought forward the date by cases recorded in January. 45% had got two jabs.
which everyone over the age When Johnson first outlined
of 18 will be offered a first the government’s four-stage Many blame the Conserva- The rapid rollout of vaccines
dose of vaccine, from the end plan for lifting the lockdown tive government for the spike and a strict months-long
of July to July 19. in England in February, he set in infections, saying it acted lockdown helped drive down
June 21 as the earliest date by too slowly to impose the the number of virus-related
“It’s unmistakably clear the which restrictions on people strictest quarantine require- deaths in the U.K. in recent
vaccines are working and the gathering would be lifted. ments on everyone arriving months. Despite that, the
sheer scale of the vaccine roll However, he stressed at the from India, which has en- country has recorded nearly
out has made our position time that the timetable was dured a catastrophic resur- 128,000 virus-related deaths,
incomparably better than in not carved in stone and that gence of the virus. more than any other nation
previous waves,” he said. all the steps would be driven in Europe.