The Unitary Police Service received on Wednesday (20 January) a notice regarding an operational event at a facility run by Ling Ao Nuclear Power Plant.

The notice was given by Guangdong Province’s Emergency Management Office, via the mechanism established under the “Guangdong-Macao Cooperation Consensus in Case of a Guangdong Nuclear Power Plant Emergency”.

On 15 January, Ling Ao Nuclear Power Plant staff found that a sample taken at Unit 4, regarding foam-liquid material used as part of the fire-protection system for a diesel generator plant there, had failed a routine inspection. On 17 January, staff completed the replacement of the foam liquid according to procedures, and subsequent sampling of the replacement material showed its status as ‘normal’. Unit 4 had remained in a safe condition throughout the procedures. Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations and Management Co Ltd had reported the situation to the relevant nuclear safety regulatory authority in a timely manner, and had initiated an internal review on the cause of the event and the experience of handling it.

According to the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, measured over seven levels, this operational event was a “Below Scale”, i.e. “Level 0" event. This meant it had no significance in terms of either the safe operation of the nuclear power station, the health of its staff, the safety of the nearby public, or the protection of the environment.