A Chinese city has suspended preliminary work on a proposed 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) nuclear waste processing plant following protests by local residents concerned about health risks.
Reports that Lianyungang – a coastal city about 500 km north of Shanghai – was set to be chosen as the site for the project sparked protests that began at the weekend.
The project, to be run by the state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) in collaboration with France’s Areva, is due to start construction in 2020 and scheduled to be completed by 2030.
As per reports,the local government said “no final decision had been made” on the location of the plant. It threatened to take legal action against “illegal elements” it accused of “fomenting social disorder” and spreading rumours about the project.
Lianyungang, in the province of Jiangsu, is the location of the Tianwan nuclear project, which currently consists of two Russian-designed reactors. Two more units are now under construction and there are plans to expand further.
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