Taiwan held its first compounded nuclear disaster drill yesterday, with President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) looking on as emergency responders shifted into gear at the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in Wanli District (萬里), New Taipei City (新北市).
The exercise, organized by Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) and the New Taipei City Fire Department, also involved staff at the nuclear plant.
The scenario of the drill was based on the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear crisis that has haunted Japan since March 11, the day a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami devastated the country’s northeast.
Photo: Chang Chia-ming, Taipei Times
The exercise presumed a magnitude 8 earthquake at a depth of 10km, with the epicenter located 342km northeast of the plant. A tsunami between 15m and 20m in height was assumed to have hit the coast.
Taipower officials said that in the worst-case scenario of a total power outage at the plant, they would make saving lives the top priority by abandoning the plant and injecting seawater to prevent a meltdown of the nuclear core.
The scenario included a fire alarm system that broke down after the earthquake, cascading power failures, as well as malfunctions in the reactor and the cooling pool for spent fuel, resulting in overheating fuel rods, which can cause a hydrogen explosion and excessive radiation leakage.
Photo: Sam Yeh, AFP
White foam was sprayed from fire trucks to put out a fire while responders in radiation protection suits assessed radiation levels near the site.
Following the fire simulation, responders demonstrated how water would be injected into the reactor and cooling pool by using fire trucks.
Although Taiwan’s geological environment is not the same as Japan’s, firm precautionary measures need to be in place, Ma said, adding that regular practice was needed to ensure proper and timely response to earthquakes.
“In the short term, Taiwan cannot be without nuclear energy. As such, nuclear safety must be our priority,” he said.
Ma gave the first day of the exercise a very positive grade. The drill continues today, this time with a focus on evacuation and temporary accommodation of nearby residents.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS