China freezes nuclear plant approvals

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By the CNN Wire Staff

March 16, 2011 -- Updated 1938 GMT (0338 HKT)

The Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant in China's southeast Zhejiang Province: China froze nuclear plant approvals Wednesday.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• China will revise safety standards for new nuclear plants
• China's 6 nuclear power plants are safe, the government says

RELATED TOPICS

• China
• Nuclear Energy

Beijing (CNN) -- China has suspended approvals of nuclear plants so safety standards can be revised while Japan grapples with its nuclear crisis, Chinese state-run media reported Wednesday.
Safety standards will be revised in China following the explosions and fires at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plant in the wake of a 9.0-magnitude quake and resulting tsunami, Xinhua reported.
The decision was made at a Chinese cabinet meeting Wednesday, the news agency reported.
The state council, or cabinet, "has required relevant departments to do safety checks at existing plants, according to a statement released after the meeting, which was presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao," the report said.
Reactors at China's six nuclear power plants already in operation are safe, the report said. But, "Before the revised safety standards are approved, all new nuclear power plants, including pre-construction works, should be suspended, according to the statement."

The country is not affected by radioactive leakage from the Japanese plant, the report said.