Ling Ao nuclear plant in Shenzhen reports no-safety-impact valve incident

Timing breach during valve operation triggered nuclear classification.

Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station in Shenzhen, China, recorded a Level 0 deviation after an isolation valve in Unit 1 remained closed longer than required during routine testing.

The Security Bureau said in a press release that it was notified by Guangdong Province’s Nuclear Emergency Committee Office of the operational event.

It said station staff closed a cooling water isolation valve remotely from the main control room during a planned refuelling overhaul on 7 May to adjust cooling water flow, and restored it to normal status the same day.

The valve remained closed beyond the technical specification requirement, leading to classification of the event as a Level 0 deviation on 8 May under the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale and relevant nuclear safety regulations.

The bureau said Unit 1 remained in safe condition throughout the event, adding that the three safety barriers stayed intact and no radioactive substances were released that could affect worker health, the nearby public, or the environment.