Thu, Oct 18, 2001 page8

• Letters:

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  Nuclear energy not `secure'

  In your article, "Energy expert suggests increased diversification," (Oct. 8, page 17), former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Hsu Yi-yun (許翼雲) states quite reasonably that Taiwan needs to diversify its energy resources to reduce its dependency on imports in times of international uncertainty. The next sentence, however, makes the reader wonder what planet he's from: "He stressed that nuclear power is the energy form which meets Taiwan's needs the most now because of its cheap cost and security."

  Since when did putting all your eggs into four nuclear baskets become a "security" measure? Why not just paint target crosshairs on the containment domes, so the Chinese missiles can home in more accurately? And how exactly does increased dependence on a centralized nuclear power grid make Taiwan more secure from interruptions in supply? Have geologists recently discovered uranium deposits under Yangmingshan?

  As for the cost, nuclear power is notorious for budget overruns and expensive maintenance. Over the long run it is, at best, competitive with fossil fuels, while in the short term, its astronomical start-up costs make it much more expensive. The word "cheap" simply does not apply. And the word "diversification" certainly cannot in any reasonable sense be used to describe the construction of yet another nuke.

  Hsu is right when he says that Taiwan needs both diversification and security in its energy supply. But he is way off base when claiming that nuclear power offers either benefit to Taiwan.

  True security can only come from true diversity with a strong emphasis on decentralization and renewable sources. Taiwan has vast untapped potential in many alternative energy sources, such as wind, ocean wave, ocean thermal, biomass, biodiesel and solar energy.

  Many of these sources have the added advantage of being capable of being built to the scale appropriate to the circumstances. (You can't build a "mini-nuke" to power a rural village, but you can easily build a small scale wind farm for that purpose.)

  These are not "experimental" technologies anymore. All of them have proven track records in real-world "production" installations. And all of them are much cheaper than nuclear power over the long term, and, of course, they are all much safer and easier to maintain as well.

  Taiwan's security is ill served by concentrating energy production in a few large, well-known locations. Obviously a robust, decentralized structure is likely to be much more resilient in the event of attacks or natural disasters. And a truly diverse range of sources is much more dependable in times of uncertain supply -- especially if those sources are renewable and free.

  Decentralization across hundreds of small-scale facilities also saves the 8 to 10 percent of overall capacity which is normally wasted by transmission losses in power lines. If the power is produced locally, you don't need to transmit it at all. Finally, decentralization spreads more employment opportunities around Taiwan, at a time when jobs are scarce.

  Continuing to ignore these simple facts only exacerbates Taiwan's security woes, and constitutes criminal negligence on the part of those responsible.

  John Diedrichs

  Taipei
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