The death toll in the collapse of a platform under construction at a power plant in eastern China has risen to 74, with two others injured, as China's chief safety inspector arrived to oversee an investigation, state media said on Friday. Deadly accidents are relatively common at industrial sites in China, where anger over lax standards is growing. Three decades of swift economic growth have been marred by incidents ranging from mining disasters to factory fires. The accident happened on Thursday morning in Fengcheng, in Jiangxi province, during work on a cooling tower for the coal-fired power plant. State news agency Xinhua said 68 of the 74 dead have been identified so far, with victims ranging in age from 23 to 53. The company building the plant, Jiangxi Ganneng Co, said in a stock exchange filing on Thursday it was cooperating with authorities. Yang Huanning, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, had already arrived on the scene to oversee an investigation into what … [Read more...] about Death toll in China power plant accident climbs to 74
Power plant accident
Workers missing after power plant accident
Viet Nam News QUẢNG NAM - A broken water valve is the suspected cause of an incident on September 13 that left two worker missing at the Sông Bung 2 Hydropower Plant in the central province of Quảng Nam. Search and rescue forces are still working to find the missing workers, while all 20 forestry project employees in the La Êê commune lowands in Nam Giang district have made it home safety. Huỳnh Khánh Toàn, Vice-Chairman of the provincial people's committee, confirmed the accident yesterday via a press conference. He said that water from the plant's conductor tunnel swept two houses and nearly collapsed one in La Êê commune, flooding some nearby communes' traffic roads. He said water collapsed one steel valve of the tunnel, while the other valve remaines in tact. Toàn also dismissed online media speculation that the dam of the plant was broken and that over 30 residents were missing. "We had a field check last night, and I can confirm that only two workers were swept away by … [Read more...] about Workers missing after power plant accident
PM extends condolences over Russian hydro-electric power plant accident
At least 11 people were killed and 15 injured after an engine room at the Sayano-Shushenskaya plant, Russia 's largest hydro-electric power station, was flooded with water on August 17, according to ITAR-TASS. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung sent a message of condolences to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on August 18 over the loss of human life caused by a hydrop-electric power plant accident in East Siberia. … [Read more...] about PM extends condolences over Russian hydro-electric power plant accident
Scientists warn of dangers of coal power plants
VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam will have to spend big money to deal with the consequences, including pollution, caused by coal thermal power plants, scientists have said. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Khien, former head of the Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources, considering the pros and cons of coal power plant development, warned that such costs could be even higher than the amount of money needed to develop clean energy sources. According to Khien, at the mining sites in Quang Ninh province, coal is exploited under a closed conveyor system which connects the exploitation places and means of transport, while water is sprayed to reduce dust. Vietnam still cannot utilize other modern technologies because of financial limitations. "Methane exists at mines which may cause fatal accidents if methane cannot be treated well. After long rainy days, water cracking accidents may occur at old mining sites," he said. Regarding the treatment to prevent dust in the air, Khien said there was no … [Read more...] about Scientists warn of dangers of coal power plants
Japan poised to decommission damaged nuclear power plant
Japan has voiced intentions to decommission a severely damaged nuclear power plant whose continued radioactive leaks have kept thrown the country into an unrelenting crisis since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck. Four of the six reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi plant suffered extensive damage in the disaster. … [Read more...] about Japan poised to decommission damaged nuclear power plant