EDF says working on 'performance issue' at Guangdong nuclear plant

London (Quantum Commodity Intelligence) – French energy company EDF said it is working to resolve a "performance issue" at its co-operated nuclear plant in China following claims of a potential leak, the company reported late Monday.

The statement comes after reports emerged that the EDF operator Framatone had asked the US government for assistance due to concerns over possible radiation leaks.

"EDF has been informed of the increase in the concentration of certain noble gases in the primary circuit of reactor No1 of the Taishan nuclear power plant, belonging to and operated by TNPJVC, a joint-venture of CGN (70%) and EDF (30%)," EDF said in a statement.

"The presence of certain noble gases in the primary circuit is a known phenomenon, studied and provided for in the reactor operating procedures."

The Taishan plant is in the Guangdong province, which is currently suffering from power shortages and is a key reason for the surge in global coal and LNG prices.

EDF Energy confirmed that gases that had built up in a component of the plant were deliberately released, which a spokesperson said was because of a fuel rod problem.

"We are not in a scenario of an accident with a melting core," an EDF spokesman who did not want to be named told AFP news agency. "We are not talking about contamination, we are talking about controlled emissions."

CNN reported that the US government had been assessing reports of a leak at the Taishan plant.

The facility's Chinese part-owner, China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group, refuted claims of a leak on Monday.