RADIOACTIVE

U.S. Scrambles to Investigate Leak at Chinese Nuclear Plant

Department of Energy received warning about possible leak at nuclear plant in Guangdong.

Chinese officials have been accused of raising safe radiation levels around a nuclear power plant to avoid having to shut it down after an apparent technical problem. CNN reported Monday that the U.S. Department of Energy had been contacted by a French company that part-owns and helps operate the plant in Guangdong province warning of an “imminent radiological threat.” The warnings from Framatome sent senior Biden administration officials scrambling to investigate, but CNN said they had deemed that “the situation does not currently pose a severe safety threat to workers at the plant or Chinese public.” It is not clear what the actual problem is at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. CNN said that Framatome, in which the French state ultimately owns a three-quarters stake, had contacted the U.S. because it needed a waiver to share American technical assistance at the Taishan plant.