Nuclear plant in Taiwan catches fire

[Rashna]

Nuclear plant in Taiwan catches fire


BEIJING: Taiwan has shut down two reactors after a fire broke out at a nuclear power station in southern Taiwan shortly before midnight on Sunday.
The incident has caused no radioactive leak and no personnel have needed to be evacuated, Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) said in a statement on its website.

The fire began inside an auxiliary electrical transformer at the Third Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County, setting off an alarm at 11:58pm, Taipower said. It was put out by the plant's own firefighters within 17 minutes of its occurance, it said.

A loud noise was heard at midnight around the plant as the turbine released steam into the sky during the process, Taipower said.

Taipower said preliminary investigations suggest that it will take two weeks to get the second reactor operational again. The transformer, which was one of a number of devices supplying electricity to the plant, has been damaged due to short circuit.

The accident is expected to affect China's ambitious plans that include launching eight new nuclear power plants this year besides granting approvals for another set of six new plants. The government aims to build capabilities for producing 30,000 megawatts by 2020.

Chinese nuclear experts have argued that the country has the best safety standards in place after the government recently lifted the ban on new plants, which was imposed after Japan's Fukushima accident in 2011.

Giving details of the accident, Taipower said that another reactor in the affected plant, the No. 1 reactor is unaffected.

The second reactor, which has a electricity generating capacity of 951 megawatts, has been in operation since May 1985.

Taiwan has three nuclear power plants in operation and another one under construction. There has been much public debate about whether the island should become a nuclear power-free society, particularly in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Nuclear plant in Taiwan catches fire - The Times of India

Chinese safety standards leave a lot to be desired. Its dangerous what is going on with nuclear power plants all over.

 

[Ray]

Are these nuclear reactor made in China?

 

[Rashna]

Apparently not but this explains why China is in the picture.

Taiwan is not legally considered a sovereign state by most countries or international organizations, including the UN, thus it cannot participate in international nonproliferation treaties or export control regimes. [1] Both the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) lay claim to the island of Taiwan, but it is under de facto control of the government in Taipei. Taiwan does not possess nuclear weapons, although it attempted to acquire them in the past. [2] Despite some suspicions of offensive and defensive chemical and biological weapon programs, there is no conclusive evidence that Taiwan developed or deployed either.

In 1968, Taiwan — then recognized as the Republic of China by the UN — signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). After the seat for "China" in the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council reverted from Taipei to Beijing's control in 1971, [3] the NPT and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordinated only with the Beijing government on issues related to China. Nuclear safeguards are applied in Taiwan under a trilateral agreement with the U.S. and the IAEA. [4] Taiwan has since implemented the IAEA's "Program 93+2" safeguards. [5] In January 2014, Taiwan and the United States renewed an agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation. The agreement, which includes a new 123 Agreement, will take effect after the existing one expires on 22 June 2014. [6]

While acknowledging that there is only "one China" in the Three Joint Communiqués, the United States believes that the conflict over the status of Taiwan should be resolved by peaceful means through cross-strait dialogue, and with the support of the people of Taiwan. [7] The Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), enacted by U.S. Congress in 1979, states that the United States will, inter alia, "maintain the capacity of the United States to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan." [8] Section 3 of TRA states that, "in furtherance of the policy ["¦], United States will make available to Taiwan such defense articles and defense services in such quantity as may be necessary to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability.

Taiwan | Country Profiles | NTI

Are these nuclear reactor made in China?

 

[Illusive]

Are these nuclear reactor made in China?

Thats whats confusing me or its TOIlet news at work again.

Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reactor supplier Westinghouse USA

This standard of reporting by TOI doesn't baffles me, these guys don't even know Taiwan is a seprate country:shocked: