US government is assessing reports of a possible leak at a Chinese nuclear power plant, after the French company that owns and operates it warned of an "imminent radiological threat," CNN reported.

In a letter from French company to US department of Energy, it accused that the Chinese safety authority was raising the acceptable limits for radiation detection outside the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in Guangdong province in order to avoid having to shut it down.

Despite the alarming notification from Framatome, the French company, US officials do not currently believe the situation poses a severe safety threat, said CNN.

While US officials believes it is strange that a foreign company would alone seek help from the American government when its Chinese state-owned partner is yet to acknowledge a problem exists. The scenario could put the US in a complicated situation if the leak becomes more severe without being fixed.

China General Nuclear Power Corp said in a statement on Sunday that data showed “the Taishan station and its surrounding environment meet normal parameters”, according to a translation by Reuters News Agency.

Framatome said in a public statement on its website on Monday: “According to the data available, the plant is operating within safety parameters. Our team is working with relevant experts to assess the situation and propose solutions to address any potential issues.”

The International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations’ atomic watchdog, said it was in contact with officials in China about the issue and said in a statement that “at this stage, the agency has no indication that a radiological incident occurred”, Reuters reported.

“Ultimately, the June 8 request for assistance from Framatome is the only reason why the US became involved in the situation at all,” CNN cited multiple sources.

However, the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant published a statement on its website Sunday night local time, maintaining that environmental reading for both the plant and its surrounding area were "normal."

The two nuclear reactors in Taishan are both operational, the statement said, adding that Unit 2 had recently completed an "overhaul" and "successfully connected to the grid on June 10, 2021." The statement did not define why or how the plant was overhauled.

Image Source: Bloomberg