Many train passengers were killed in a high-speed train accident of D301 from Beijing to Fuzhou and D3115 from Hangzhou to Fuzhou in Wenzhou on 23 July. Although China was quick to stop local media from reporting it, its official media, in an unusual way, pointed out that the train involved in the accident was a product of foreign technology. Criticisms over the mishap grew stronger by the day in cyberspace. Although the accident involved railway industry this round, the Chinese government should realize by now that this incident also served as a reminder to China's nuclear power development. Both high speed railway and nuclear power are greatest in size and most complex in technology.
Development and Nuclear Power Planning
Prior to 2004, high speed railway was not heard of in China. Its operation and speed rose to world No 1 within few years. Developed countries spent almost half a century for the same journey China underwent. Railway development and nuclear power planning shared significant similarities in China. Although the 2007 ‘Mid and Long-Term Nuclear Power Development Plan’ had planned to increase its capacity to 40mil kilowatt by 2020, Chinese media reported that the capacity could have been raised to 70mil to 86mil kilowatt or even 1 trillion kilowatt.
The severity of danger posed by radioactivity in Japan after March 11 tsunami and rise of public awareness among the Chinese had caused the State Council to temporarily and immediately halt the approval of new nuclear power projects on March 16. This meant that the government was more careful in handling nuclear power plant. Unfortunately, the recent trend is moving towards a big leap for nuclear power. In the ‘Nation's 12th Fifth year Plan for science and technology development’ released in July, China wanted to bring in the third generation of United State's AP1000 technology before 2015 and to increase its capacity from 1,000 to 1,400 trillion watt to match China's high efficiency.
China's nuclear power and high-speed railway are similar in the sense that both use the market to swap for technology by importing them from France, Canada, Russia, United States.
It is a risky way for any country to develop its nuclear power by adopting more than one nuclear reactor technologies and applying them at the same time. China should stop such ‘eight nation alliance’ method and instead focus its manpower and resources on one to two technologies only..
More Severe Effects
Based on reports, China may give up second generation reactor technology and opt for the third generation stressing on safety. The Wenzhou train mishap showed that equipment could not guarantee a’crash free’control system. Regardless of the safety technology in third generation, the Chinese government should realize that any safety device, which has not been tested thoroughly, can be easily ineffective due to malfunction of parts, faulty design and lack of experience in implementation.
Handling Public Pressure
Public pressure resulted the United States not to have new nuclear power plant for more than 30 years after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident while the Chernobyl accident in 1986 hastened the process to break up Russia. The 2011 radioactivity leakage in Fukushima prompted Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan to promise quitting and resulted the Japanese economy to suffer a severe blow. If China were to speed up nuclear power development with hasty approval of new applications, this may lead to a tragic end.
After the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Germany announced that it would withdraw from nuclear power industry by 2022. Unlike Germany, it would be impossible for China to give up nuclear power completely. Capacity growth in nuclear power is inevitable in China. As such, the Chinese Government should recognize safety is the key to develop nuclear power.
Five-Year Plans
The Wenzhou train collision had exposed the hastiness of investing in public transportation. Many were hungry to receive credit and created various conflicts instead. It would be blessing in disguise if Chinese leaders are to learn from the train tragedy lesson - revamp its investment method in public transportation and reconsider its revised 2020 nuclear power plan.
The 2020 nuclear plan of setting the capacity at 40 million kw should not be revised upwards in the near future. If the introduction of third generation of nuclear technology into China is smooth under the 12th fifth year plan (2011 to 2015), its 2020 year nuclear power plan should be revised in the 13th fifth year plan.
Development and Nuclear Power Planning
Prior to 2004, high speed railway was not heard of in China. Its operation and speed rose to world No 1 within few years. Developed countries spent almost half a century for the same journey China underwent. Railway development and nuclear power planning shared significant similarities in China. Although the 2007 ‘Mid and Long-Term Nuclear Power Development Plan’ had planned to increase its capacity to 40mil kilowatt by 2020, Chinese media reported that the capacity could have been raised to 70mil to 86mil kilowatt or even 1 trillion kilowatt.
The severity of danger posed by radioactivity in Japan after March 11 tsunami and rise of public awareness among the Chinese had caused the State Council to temporarily and immediately halt the approval of new nuclear power projects on March 16. This meant that the government was more careful in handling nuclear power plant. Unfortunately, the recent trend is moving towards a big leap for nuclear power. In the ‘Nation's 12th Fifth year Plan for science and technology development’ released in July, China wanted to bring in the third generation of United State's AP1000 technology before 2015 and to increase its capacity from 1,000 to 1,400 trillion watt to match China's high efficiency.
China's nuclear power and high-speed railway are similar in the sense that both use the market to swap for technology by importing them from France, Canada, Russia, United States.
It is a risky way for any country to develop its nuclear power by adopting more than one nuclear reactor technologies and applying them at the same time. China should stop such ‘eight nation alliance’ method and instead focus its manpower and resources on one to two technologies only..
More Severe Effects
Based on reports, China may give up second generation reactor technology and opt for the third generation stressing on safety. The Wenzhou train mishap showed that equipment could not guarantee a’crash free’control system. Regardless of the safety technology in third generation, the Chinese government should realize that any safety device, which has not been tested thoroughly, can be easily ineffective due to malfunction of parts, faulty design and lack of experience in implementation.
Handling Public Pressure
Public pressure resulted the United States not to have new nuclear power plant for more than 30 years after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident while the Chernobyl accident in 1986 hastened the process to break up Russia. The 2011 radioactivity leakage in Fukushima prompted Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan to promise quitting and resulted the Japanese economy to suffer a severe blow. If China were to speed up nuclear power development with hasty approval of new applications, this may lead to a tragic end.
After the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Germany announced that it would withdraw from nuclear power industry by 2022. Unlike Germany, it would be impossible for China to give up nuclear power completely. Capacity growth in nuclear power is inevitable in China. As such, the Chinese Government should recognize safety is the key to develop nuclear power.
Five-Year Plans
The Wenzhou train collision had exposed the hastiness of investing in public transportation. Many were hungry to receive credit and created various conflicts instead. It would be blessing in disguise if Chinese leaders are to learn from the train tragedy lesson - revamp its investment method in public transportation and reconsider its revised 2020 nuclear power plan.
The 2020 nuclear plan of setting the capacity at 40 million kw should not be revised upwards in the near future. If the introduction of third generation of nuclear technology into China is smooth under the 12th fifth year plan (2011 to 2015), its 2020 year nuclear power plan should be revised in the 13th fifth year plan.
1 comment:
very informative...
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