(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-07 16:30

The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) of China posted an entry on its website Thursday, saying that the project must be examined and approved by the administration before construction work could begin.

The national environment watchdog confirmed it had not received any application from the local authority.

"If the authoritative evaluation report shows the locale is not appropriate, the project will be canceled," said Wang Yongxiao, a senior official with the project.

"The nuclear power plant is not that horrible and the residents must have some understanding of the project."

Wang said they were soliciting public opinion about the plant among local residents.

"Obviously they have chosen the winter to solicit opinions when the number of residents is at a minimum," a local resident said.

Residents said the project officials hastened to solicit public opinion in order to precede a SEPA draft regulation scheduled to be finished around December 15. It may possibly stipulate that the newly-planned nuclear power plant should not be too close to the tourist resort.

The local government said last year that the the plant would guarantee Shandong a safe and reliable energy source to support its economic growth.

Four Chinese companies, including the China Nuclear Engineering and Construction (Group) Corporation (CNECC), Shandong Luneng Development Group Co. Ltd, Huadian Power International Corporation Ltd. and Shandong International Trust and Investment Corporation, have invested in the project, in which CNECC owns a 51-percent stake.

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