The government could revise the rules on the use of nuclear power, if the public agrees, to meet electricity needs to drive economic growth and industrial development, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said yesterday.
Kung made the remarks in response to opposition lawmakers who said that minister of economic affairs-designate J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) called nuclear power “a clean energy source” during his courtesy visit to the legislature one day earlier.
Opposition lawmakers and trade groups have pressed the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government to reconsider phasing out nuclear power in the pursuit of net zero carbon emissions next year, saying that nuclear power is cheaper and environmental hazards could be controlled.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The government would go ahead and raise the share of renewable energy sources in line with its pursuit of a nuclear-free policy, said Kung, who is to serve as Cabinet secretary-general after the power transition next week.
“Authorities could revisit the issue if there is a change to the energy policy or the power mix,” he said at a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee in Taipei.
If a majority of Taiwanese favor rule changes, the issue would be open for discussion, Kung said.
Taiwan’s current renewable energy output falls way behind the 20 percent target for next year, but the government would strive to bolster its contribution, NDC Deputy Minister Kao Shien-quey (高仙桂) said.
Coal and gas generated 77.6 percent of energy last year, while renewable energy accounted for 10.5 percent and nuclear power plants supplied 6.31 percent, Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) said in January.
Green energy sources would remain insufficient, because Taiwan’s economy grows rapidly and depends heavily on power-consuming technology firms to meet fast-growing global demand for artificial intelligence applications, Kao said.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract maker of advanced chips, consumes the bulk of electricity to fulfill orders from Apple Inc, Nvidia Corp, Intel Corp, Advanced Micro Devices Inc and other technology giants.
The EU counts nuclear power as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, with stiff safety and waste disposal requirements, meteorologist Peng Chi-ming (彭啟明), who is to be the new minister of environment, said during an online interview on Wednesday.
A high social consensus would be necessary for the incoming administration of president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to extend the service of existing nuclear power plants, as the move would contradict the stance of outgoing President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), Peng said.
Electronics maker Pegatron Corp (和碩) chairman Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) during said that he used to oppose nuclear power, but had changed his stance, as the safety issue has become manageable due to technological progress.
Green energy farms also pose environmental hazards, but in a less evident manner, Tung said.
Tung had turned down Lai’s invitation to be premier after protest from his family, he said.
Netherlands-based semiconductor equipment supplier ASML Holding NV yesterday said that it is planning to hire an additional 1,000 people in Taiwan this year in response to growing demand from clients. ASML had previously planned to recruit 600 people this year, but that the plan has been adjusted upward, ASML vice president and ASML Taiwan general manager Grace Wang (汪佳慧) told reporters. ASML has a workforce of more than 4,500 in Taiwan, accounting for about 10 percent of its global total, Wang said. This year’s recruitment campaign would focus on adding people in the customer support, manufacturing and supply chain domains to assist ASML
UNDER MICROSCOPE: Taiwan detained three people who allegedly conspired to buy servers in Taiwan and export them using fraudulent documentation, prosecutors said Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) on Saturday urged Super Micro Computer Inc to tighten up on compliance after Taiwan detained three people this week for allegedly making fraudulent declarations about artificial intelligence (AI) servers made by its US partner. The development marked the nation’s first crackdown on semiconductor smuggling, which grew after the US slapped restrictions on exports of high-end chips such as Nvidia AI accelerators to China. Nvidia is “rigorous” in explaining regulations to all of its partners, Huang told reporters after arriving in Taipei. “Ultimately Super Micro has to run their own company,” he said in response to
Nvidia Corp yesterday announced that CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) would attend an employee meeting in Taipei tomorrow to celebrate the launch of the company’s Taiwan headquarters project. Huang would attend a gathering at the site of Nvidia’s planned headquarters in Beitou Shilin Technology Park (北投士林科技園區), the company said in a statement. After arriving in Taiwan on Saturday last week, Huang told reporters that he plans to meet with Quanta Computer Inc (廣達) chairman Barry Lam (林百里) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家), and would attend the groundbreaking ceremony for Nvidia’s Taiwan headquarters tomorrow. Nvidia has not yet applied
Starlux Airlines Co (星宇航空) today unveiled a long-haul network expansion plan at a shareholders’ meeting in Taipei, including direct flights to Barcelona, Spain, and Zurich, Switzerland, as well as a service connecting Taipei, Sydney and New Zealand. Starlux is to become the first Taiwanese carrier to offer non-stop services to the two European cities, while the inaugural oceanic route is expected to expand transit opportunities within the Australia-New Zealand market, Starlux said. Flight services to Chicago, Dallas, Washington and New York are under evaluation, the airline added. Prior to the shareholders’ meeting, the airline earlier this year announced that it would be
RSS