JinkoSolar unclear on upgrades to prevent chemical leak

JinkoSolar has claimed it has completed ‘Phase 1’ of an environmental safety upgrade of its chemical storage area, without noting what upgrades had actually been undertaken.

JinkoSolar claimed that it had taken the “necessary steps to establish appropriate protocols and prevention plans for extreme weather conditions and now imposes regulations that are stricter than the industry standard.” The company was responsible for a waste water leak, containing fluoride into a nearby stream that led to demonstrations and disturbances at the plant.

The PV module manufacturer also claimed that it had made a “substantive investment in the latest environmental management control systems and state of the art equipment for its Zhejiang factory's production facility.”

However, details of Phase 1 upgrades, the protocols and equipment investments were not disclosed in a statement issued by the company.

Instead, JinkoSolar noted in a statement that, “Fluoride is a highly water-soluble component and the small amount released from the Zhejiang site diluted within days.”

The solar plant is believed to have remained closed since the incident, due in part to last weeks holiday in many parts of China. Initially, JinkoSolar had said that it expected to restart manufacturing operations in a “matter of days,” before a later update conference call, noting that this may not be achieved due to the holiday season.