Errors revealed at Chinese nuclear firm seeking to invest in UK plants

Huge quantity of protective steel was left out of initial construction of China General Nuclear Corp's first reactor, built close to Hong Kong in 1987

One of the Chinese nuclear power firms pushing for a stake in the UK's energy industry left out hundreds of critical steel rods when building its first reactor near Hong Kong in 1987 because workers misread the blueprint.

The missing parts were added in a higher layer of the foundation, with extra steel to reinforce them, after the extraordinary mistake was discovered. The plant has now been operating safely for more than two decades.