Liu Hua: Both inland and coastal nuclear power plants are feasible
Source: "Environment and Life" magazine (date: 2015-03-25)
After China's coastal nuclear power project restarted, inland nuclear power construction was once again on the agenda. Recently, it is reported that the National Development and Reform Commission is conducting a comprehensive demonstration on whether to restart the construction of inland nuclear power plants during the "Thirteenth Five-Year Plan" period. The final conclusion has not yet been released.
At present, China is the world's largest nuclear power plant under construction. Although the Nuclear Power Safety Plan (2011-2020) and the Nuclear Power Medium- and Long-Term Development Plan (2011-2020) clearly stipulate that the "12th Five-Year Plan" does not schedule inland nuclear power projects, the disputes surrounding inland nuclear power have never stopped. .
According to the Strategic Action Plan for Energy Development (2014-2020), by 2020, China ’s nuclear power installed capacity will reach 58 million kilowatts, and the capacity under construction will exceed 30 million kilowatts. Based on this calculation, in the six years from 2015 to 2020, China will need to build 40 million kilowatts of new installed capacity, and will need to start an average of six units per year. From this perspective, inland nuclear power is about to be launched during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period.
In response, Liu Hua, chief engineer of nuclear safety of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, recently accepted an exclusive interview with "Environment and Life" magazine. In fact, regardless of domestic and foreign, nuclear safety regulations do not deliberately distinguish between inland or coastal nuclear power plants, but only in the evaluation of external events. Some differences, but the security requirements are consistent. Technically speaking, inland or coastal nuclear power plants are all feasible. Whether they can be built depends on power demand and policy factors. At present, public environmental awareness is strengthened and more attention has been paid to the construction of nuclear power in China's inland areas. This requires government departments and nuclear power companies to strengthen public communication and effectively protect the public's right to information, participation and supervision.
In the face of insufficient fossil energy reserves and severe environmental pollution caused by coal-fired fuel, it seems that promoting efficient and clean nuclear energy has become a “must” choice. The safety of nuclear energy and the public's "terrorist nuclear" mentality have always been controversial topics in the development of nuclear energy. Recently, this magazine interviewed Liu Hua, chief engineer of nuclear safety of the Ministry of Environmental Protection, to interpret nuclear power from the perspective of science popularization, so that readers can better understand the scientific knowledge and historical evolution of nuclear and radiation safety.
"Environment and Life": When was the concept of nuclear and radiation safety supervision first introduced in China? What's included?
Liu Hua: Nuclear and radiation safety (hereinafter referred to as "nuclear safety") refers to the necessary and adequate monitoring, protection, prevention and mitigation of nuclear facilities, nuclear activities, nuclear materials and radioactive materials to prevent Causes accidents caused by human, human or natural disasters, and minimizes the radiological consequences of accidents, thereby protecting workers, the public and the environment from improper radiation.
The history of China's nuclear safety supervision can be traced back to the beginning of the nuclear industry. In the 1950s, China's nuclear energy (also known as atomic energy) business started in the nuclear military industry. The earliest Ministry of Machinery Industry of the People's Republic of China was responsible for nuclear safety supervision. However, before 1984, China did not have a nuclear safety regulatory agency capable of representing the country and independent of the nuclear energy development department. In order to meet the needs of the Daya Bay nuclear power project with the introduction of French technology, the State Council Nuclear Power Leading Group held a meeting on January 26, 1984 and decided to establish a national nuclear safety regulatory agency as soon as possible. The former National Science and Technology Commission (now the Ministry of Science and Technology) established the National Nuclear Safety Administration. . On July 2, the same year, the institution was formally established.
The scope of nuclear and radiation safety supervision includes nuclear safety and radiation safety at nuclear power plants, reactors, nuclear fuel production, processing, storage and reprocessing facilities, radioactive material transportation safety, radioactive waste processing and disposal safety, nuclear technology utilization projects, uranium (plutonium) Radiation safety of mines and associated radioactive ores, radiation environmental protection, safety of nuclear materials, safety of nuclear equipment, emergency management of nuclear and radiation accidents, etc.
"Environment and Life": Countries with advanced nuclear energy technology in the world currently have different attitudes towards nuclear power, especially after the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011. As far as you know, what is the current attitude of major world countries towards nuclear energy?
Liu Hua: The Fukushima nuclear accident has indeed affected the attitude of the public, policy makers and investors to nuclear energy, and anti-nuclear demonstrations have also erupted in many European countries. However, the confidence and determination of major nuclear energy countries to develop nuclear energy have not wavered. It can be said that the Fukushima nuclear accident has not changed the world's demand for nuclear energy, but has increased the requirements for nuclear safety.
U.S. President Barack Obama emphasized the importance of nuclear energy as green energy and will continue to build a new generation of nuclear power plants. The approval of the "construction and operation joint permits" for a number of new nuclear power plants in the United States has been completed in early 2012 in accordance with the original energy plan and construction has begun.
Russian President Putin said that the Fukushima nuclear accident will not affect Russia's nuclear energy development plan and believes that its advanced nuclear power technology can prevent serious accidents. At the same time, it also requires public safety inspections of nuclear power plants to ensure nuclear safety. The control is not lax.
The European Commission points out that Member States have the right to decide whether to use nuclear power. The European Union will unify nuclear safety standards and support shutting down nuclear power plants with outdated technology and serious safety risks.
France continues to construct EPR units, and will invest US $ 1.4 billion in nuclear power technology research and development, including fourth-generation nuclear energy systems; the United Kingdom also continues to carry out site preparation, design review, organization, and policy adjustments around new nuclear power plant plans.
The German Schroeder government declared in 2001 that all nuclear power plants will be closed by 2021. In October 2010, the Merkel government announced an extension of the life of nuclear power plants, postponing the shutdown to 2035. However, after the Fukushima nuclear accident, Germany once again shelved its original decision to extend the life of nuclear power plants, first suspended the operation of the oldest seven units and carried out comprehensive safety inspections. In May 2011, Germany announced that it would close all 17 nuclear power plants by 2022 and vigorously develop renewable energy. This decision has transformed Germany from a power exporter to a power importer, as well as addressing economic compensation claims by major nuclear power companies.
Italy, which had originally intended to restart nuclear power, also abandoned the nuclear power plan again in the shadow of the Fukushima accident, and confirmed this result in a referendum on June 13, 2011. Earlier, Italy abandoned nuclear power in the form of a referendum in 1987 and quickly shut down several nuclear power plants built since the 1960s to become a nuclear-free country.
Switzerland's nuclear power policy has not been stable enough in the past 20 years and has held several referendums. In May 2011, the Swiss government stated that it would abandon the construction of nuclear power plants, and the five existing units will be shut down after reaching their end of life by 2034. At the same time, Austria and other countries that have opposed nuclear power have strengthened their anti-nuclear claims.
Generally speaking, countries with erratic nuclear energy policies generally adopt a more negative attitude, while countries interested in developing nuclear power have not changed their original intentions, and while affirming the positive role of nuclear energy and emphasizing the importance of nuclear safety, they insist on developing nuclear power.
"Environment and Life": Compared with other energy types, what is the development status of nuclear power? What are the key environmental factors for the development of nuclear power?
Liu Hua: The energy structure of a country depends on the national conditions of a country. From a technical point of view, although nuclear energy technology is still developing, in general, as a way for humans to use energy, nuclear energy is relatively mature, and a relatively complete system with basically consistent requirements has been formed internationally Standardize standards and management systems. From a practical point of view, nuclear power currently accounts for about 18% of global power production; the average proportion in developed countries is higher, and China's nuclear power proportion is currently only about 2%.
From the analysis of the entire nuclear power industry chain, academics generally believe that nuclear power is clean energy, and nuclear power plants basically do not emit pollutants, or the emissions are far below national standards. Its environmental adaptability is also very strong. Looking at the world, nuclear power plants in Binhai, Binhe, and Binhu all have it. As long as nuclear power is used reasonably, energy security can be ensured, energy structure adjustment can be completed, and climate change and air pollution can be dealt with.
"Environment and Life": What do you think of China's nuclear energy technology and scale at the global level?
Liu Hua: At the beginning of China's nuclear power industry, the technical route of "pressurized water reactor-fast reactor-fusion reactor" was determined in three steps. Although China's nuclear power plants have a variety of specific reactor designs, they are basically pressurized water reactors, and their technology is the most mature and widely used. After more than 30 years of development and the introduction, digestion, absorption and re-innovation of foreign technologies, China's nuclear power has achieved "four independences", namely, independent design, independent construction, independent operation, and independent management, and has developed independent intellectual property rights. Advanced reactor design. Some companies are also developing the international market and advancing the strategy of going out of nuclear power.
China has 48 nuclear power plants, of which 22 are in operation and 26 are under construction. The total number of units follows the United States, France, and Japan, ranking fourth in the world, and the world's largest nuclear power plant under construction.
"Environment and Life": Many nuclear power plants in China are built by the sea. What role does it have besides facilitating cooling? What are the advantages and disadvantages of inland nuclear power plants compared to coastal nuclear power plants?
Liu Hua: In fact, from a global perspective, there are more inland nuclear power plants than coastal nuclear power plants, especially in the United States, Russia, and France, which have wide-ranging territories. Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, etc., because they are island or peninsula countries, nuclear power plants are basically built by the sea. China's nuclear power plants are currently coastal, and there are historical factors and primary energy balance issues: early nuclear power was more expensive than other forms of power, while the eastern coastal areas were economically developed, but primary energy was scarce, which required both nuclear power and energy. Withstand nuclear power. Today, the price of nuclear power in China is no longer difficult to climb, and it is already economically competitive with coal power.
In fact, no matter at home or abroad, nuclear safety regulations do not intentionally distinguish inland or coastal nuclear power plants, but there are some differences in the evaluation of external events, but the safety requirements are consistent. Technically speaking, inland or coastal nuclear power plants are all feasible. Whether they can be built depends on power demand and policy factors. At present, public environmental awareness is strengthened, and more attention has been paid to the construction of domestic nuclear power in China. This requires government departments and nuclear power companies to strengthen public communication and effectively protect the public's right to information, participation and supervision.
"Environment and Life": So, what are the thresholds for the exploitation and use of nuclear energy raw materials?
Liu Hua: The main source of nuclear fuel is uranium ore. According to relevant regulations, prior to the development and utilization of uranium, mining permits, safety permits, and environmental impact assessment procedures need to be completed. Uranium enrichment, nuclear fuel processing and use also require nuclear material licenses, fulfill the state's obligations related to nuclear material control, ensure safe and legal use, and prevent theft, destruction, loss, illegal transfer and illegal use.
"Environment and Life": The extremely high energy density of nuclear energy is exciting, and the serious consequences of several nuclear accidents in history have cast a heavy psychological shadow on people. How safe do you think nuclear energy is? What misconceptions does the public have about the safety of nuclear energy?
Liu Hua: The concept of "risk" commonly used in the security field is usually defined as the product of the probability of an accident and its consequences. The qualitative and quantitative safety targets for nuclear power plants set by the US Nuclear Energy Regulatory Commission (NRC) have adopted a similar methodology. Studies have shown that compared with other social production methods, including transportation and other energy production, the risks of nuclear power plants are very low.
However, from a social and psychological perspective, once a nuclear accident, such as an accident, will cause great damage at one time, it often has a greater psychological impact on the public and is more likely to become the focus of attention. Therefore, supervision cannot be relaxed because of the high level of safety in the design of nuclear power plants. Nuclear energy development countries usually set up a nuclear safety regulatory agency independent of the nuclear energy development department to carry out full-phase and full-scale nuclear safety supervision, thereby protecting the public and the environment.
In the past, the state has long emphasized the confidentiality of the nuclear industry, so public communication work on nuclear and radiation safety by government departments, the media, and enterprises has not been done enough, resulting in a lack of public understanding of nuclear and radiation. At present, the academic community generally considers nuclear power as clean energy, and the International Atomic Energy Agency also recognizes that nuclear power has maintained a high level of safe operation. The 22 nuclear power units currently in service in China have maintained good safety performance. So far, no international accident classification (INES) level 2 or higher operation accident has occurred (see "Environment and Life" November 2014 issue "How is a nuclear accident?" Graded article). In the comprehensive ranking of the World Association of Nuclear Power Operators (WANO), various performance indicators of nuclear power units operating in China are at the global upper level, and some units and safety indicators are at the world advanced level.
"Environment and Life": In terms of technology and promotion, what issues are China's and the world's nuclear energy optimizing? What are the difficulties in future development?
Liu Hua: Security is the most basic human need. We also often say that nuclear safety is the lifeblood of nuclear power development.
The international nuclear energy community has a persistent pursuit of nuclear safety, and has carried out a lot of research and development work. First, through engineering and management measures, it continues to improve the safety level of existing nuclear power plants, and second, it has higher inherent safety and economic competitiveness. Strong new stack type. The so-called intrinsic safety refers to the working characteristics of the reactor itself to prevent the nuclear reaction from being out of control. Historically, China has made remarkable achievements in both areas.
I think there are two main constraints to the development of nuclear energy. One is public acceptance. This depends first and foremost on the safety level of nuclear power plants, and secondly on the level of public awareness of nuclear power and nuclear safety. Long-term safe disposal of waste.