On the morning of Jan 13, a nuclear accident drill called “Red Sand-2014”, took place at the Guangxi Nuclear Plant Emergency Command Center of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. It was the first time that Guangxi had held a nuclear accident emergency drill.

The drill simulated a scenario that the nuclear plant was seriously damaged by a violent typhoon and the leaking of radioactivity released into the environment. The Guangxi Nuclear Emergency Headquarters immediately reported the situation to the national authority and applied to start an emergency response. Meanwhile, they evacuated the people who lived within 5 km around the Plant and found cover for those who lived within 10 km in order to prevent them from being affected by radioactive contamination coming downwind of the Plant. After the effective repair, the system stopped leaking radioactivity and could be operated smoothly.

The drill organized four nuclear emergency centers, including that of Guangxi, Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, and the Fangchenggang Nuclear Plant. A total of 42 departments, about 1,800 people and over 150 pieces of equipment were involved in the emergency drill. They were arranged into 11 specialized groups to carry out emergency response and disposal.

The drill lasted for about 3 hours. It tested the decision-making and disposal capabilities of Guangxi’s nuclear emergency commissions at different levels, gave a good lesson to the Guangxi nuclear emergency teams, and built the last protection line for the safe operation of Fangchenggang Nuclear Plant.

Fangchenggang Nuclear Plant is a key project in China’s Western Development. The Party committee and government of Guangxi are vitally concerned about the nuclear emergency operation. Therefore, the government of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region established the Guangxi Nuclear Plant Emergency Commission, whose office is in the Guangxi Environmental Protection Department. With 42 members, the Commission takes charge of leading, organizing and coordinating the emergency management work.

At present, Guangxi has already formed a system for handling nuclear emergencies, coordination and supervision, and has established radioanalysis laboratories and a mobile emergency monitoring system. It has also established the Fangchenggang front monitoring station and 12 automatic monitoring substations, all of which enhance the support of nuclear emergency technology and the capacity of rescue response efforts, as well as ensuring the safe operation of nuclear power in the whole region.

Source: China Daily