Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Executive Yuan yesterday to urge the government to focus on the creation of renewable energy instead of relying on nuclear power.
The group, led by officials from the Green Party and the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU), demanded the government scrap a proposal to extend the operating life of Jinshan (金山) nuclear power plant as well as plans to build a fourth plant.
“The government should stop pushing nuclear power under the guise of lowering carbon emissions. It is not an alternative for real sustainable energy sources,” Green Party spokesman Pan Han-shen (潘翰聲) said. “Nuclear power is a dying trend.”
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
Pan said that authorities have yet to achieve public consensus on the issue and he slammed the Ma government for ignoring public opinion and refusing to implement large-scale development for sustainable and clean alternative energies, such as solar, wind and tidal power.
“The public should be wary of recent media reports saying nuclear power is a lesser evil than global warming,” TEPU secretary-general Lee Cho-han (李卓翰) said.
Lee was referring to a Washington Post article last month that cited environmentalists, including former Greenpeace campaigner Steven Tindale, as saying that nuclear power was a necessary tool to combat emissions increases.
“It really is a question about the greater evil — nuclear waste or climate change,” Tindale was quoted as saying in the article.
“But there is no contest anymore. Climate change is the bigger threat, and nuclear is part of the answer,” he was quoted as saying.
Tindale had previously led Greenpeace protests against the construction of nuclear power plants in the UK.
Hong Kong-based Greenpeace representatives said Tindale made the comments after he had left the organization and the group was still firmly opposed to the development of nuclear power.
“Nuclear power is not the answer to global warming,” Greenpeace representative Chow Yuen-ping (周婉蘋) told the Taipei Times.
“[In Taiwan] as in other parts of the world, nuclear power is taking resources away from real solution — as a result, Greenpeace continues to oppose nuclear power,” Chow said.
Protestors chanting “We want our children to live in a nuclear- free world” and “Don’t nuke the environment,” were met by scores of police officers at the main entrance to the Executive Yuan.
The activists also highlighted concerns about the safety of state-owned Taipower’s proposal to extend the operating life of the Jinshan nuclear reactors by 20 years to 2038.
Atomic Energy Council officials have said the proposal was safe and similar extensions have been implemented in the US and Japan.
“The [Jinshan plant] is 100 percent safe — we do not foresee any problems in extending its operating life for another 20 years,” Department of Nuclear Regulation director Chen Yi-bin (陳宜彬) said.
Chen said his department expects to complete a safety analysis of the Jinshan extension proposal by July 2011.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Taipei is to implement widespread road closures around Taipei 101 on Friday to make way for large crowds during the Double Ten National Day celebration, the Taipei Department of Transportation said. A four-minute fireworks display is to be launched from the skyscraper, along with a performance by 500 drones flying in formation above the nearby Nanshan A21 site, starting at 10pm. Vehicle restrictions would occur in phases, they said. From 5pm to 9pm, inner lanes of Songshou Road between Taipei City Hall and Taipei 101 are to be closed, with only the outer lanes remaining open. Between 9pm and 9:40pm, the section is
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday hosted a reception to celebrate Double Ten National Day. Conservative Canadian lawmaker Marc Dalton called Taiwan a “beacon of courage and resilience in the face of rising authoritarianism,” according to a post on the Taiwan in Vancouver Facebook page. Also in attendance were fellow conservative caucus members Tako Van Popta and Chak Au, who said that Taiwan plays an “indispensable role” in ensuring global peace, prosperity and stability due to its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific region, it said. Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper also recorded a message wishing Taiwan a
RSS