China's State Council has released a new edition of the national nuclear emergency contingency plan.

Based on the 1995 edition, the plan summarizes past cases of nuclear emergencies in China and around the world, and outlines measures to limit damage in case of a potential accident. Responsibility for pre-planning and in case of emergency is divided between national and provincial committees, as well as agencies affiliated with nuclear facilities.

The plan notably draws lessons based on the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident in Japan in 2011.

Xu Ping, Deputy Director, Nat’l Nuclear Accident Emergency Office, said, "The emergency plan elaborates on the organizations and command mechanism responsible for dealing with nuclear emergencies. It comprehensively implements emergency response measures and preparedness. Compared with previous plans, the new one makes clear that in the event of a nuclear accident, immediate action will be taken by the national nuclear emergency response headquarters led by State Council."

 
China improves emergency plan for nuclear accidents
English.news.cn   2013-07-03 20:43:44               
BEIJING, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The State Council, China's cabinet, recently approved the release of a revised version of the national nuclear emergency plan.

Drawing on the global response to nuclear accidents, including Japan's Fukushima disaster in 2011, the plan specifies how national and provincial authorities and power stations should respond in the event of a nuclear accident.

The plan, amended from its 2005 version, requires relevant parties to disclose information in a timely manner to guide public response, according to the National Nuclear Emergency Response Office.

The risk of a severe nuclear accident, though extremely low, should not be ruled out, and China must spare no efforts in improving nuclear emergency management, said Pan Ziqiang, director of the Science and Technology Committee at the China National Nuclear Corporation.

China has lifted a ban on approvals of new nuclear power stations, which was imposed in 2012, following Japan's 2011 Fukushima disaster. China now requires that new stations be built according to the world's highest safety standards.

China currently has 17 nuclear power reactors in operation, with a combined generating capacity of 14.76 million kilowatts, and another 28 nuclear plants are currently being built.