China looks to improve nuclear safety

The lessons of Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are being taken seriously by Chinese authorities as they have authorized upgrading of emergency procedures and increased safety inspections.

The  head of the nuclear safety and radioactive safety management department under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Liu Hua, has said that procedures in handling multiple incidents, maintaining power to both the grid and reactors during an emergency, better co-ordination between government departments and higher construction standards of nuclear facilities all had to be re-examined, reported China Daily.

China's State Council has already launched safety checks on existing nuclear facilities, including projects under construction, and put a freeze on new projects. Nonetheless it has at least another 37 nuclear plants on the drawing board pipeline.

The review of nuclear safety is expected to completed in August.