Three Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) officials were released on bail yesterday after the Agency Against Corruption and Taipei prosecutors launched a probe into procurements relating to the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市).
The firm is suspected of illegally profiting two contractors to the tune of NT$41 million (US$1.4 million).
Fourth Nuclear Power Plant electrical construction department section chief Yen Ching-ting (顏慶亭), Taipower manager Yen Chen-kuo (顏鎮國) and Taipower Department of Nuclear Engineering deputy director Lin Chun-lung (林俊隆) were each released on NT$200,000 bail.
The agency said Taipower held a bid to procure some parts for construction of the plant in 2007 with a budget of about NT$445 million and two contractors won the auction.
The agency said the two firms were suspected of using waterproof metal wire to replace -radiation-proof metal wire.
Although the materials were found to have limited or no protection against radiation, Lin, who led a supervisory team at the plant that year, was supposed to hold a meeting to arbitrate whether the material met the company’s requirements. He allegedly directed his team to allow the materials supplied by the two firms to pass the inspection.
The two Yens supported approving the inspection, the agency said.
The agency said radiation-proof metal wire costs 2.4 times that of the waterproof wire. Allowing the firms to pass the inspection may have constituted illegal profiting by the contractors, the agency said.
The agency said it was trying to determine whether the trio and other senior Taipower officials had any connection with the contractors.
It was the first time the agency and prosecutors had launched an investigation into Taipower.
Prosecutors said they would also look into several other cases relating to Taipower’s construction projects.
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