Four initiatives on energy, food safety, environmental protection and regulations governing referendums failed to pass a national vote on Dec. 18, 2021.
Referendum question No. 17, proposed by nuclear power advocates, asked voters: “Do you agree that the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant should be activated for commercial operations?” Among the four referendum initiatives, that question garnered the largest number of votes against and fewest in favor.
After nine months, nuclear power advocates are at it again for two reasons.
First, the European Commission proposed to classify gas and nuclear investments as environmentally friendly, despite the backlash and debates the controversial move had generated.
Second, although Germany has begun powering down its last three nuclear plants, the phaseout had been postponed for some time. Germany’s nuclear plants, originally scheduled to be shut down by the end of last year, were kept on until this month. Germany had to modify its timetable to cope with winter power shortages and energy price hikes.
The European Commission’s proposal and Germany’s delay resulted from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The two moves were emergency measures rather than structural changes in energy policy.
The European Commission’s “greenwashing” by labeling nuclear energy as environmentally friendly has been controversial. Although the European Parliament did not object to the proposal, only 278 members voted in favor, with 328 against and 33 abstaining.
Moreover, the proposal was only meant to attract more private investment, rather than altering the meaning of “green energy” as defined by the EU.
In Taiwan, some nuclear power advocates misleadingly claim that the EU proposal has recognized nuclear power as “green energy.” Others, using more moderate language, say that the proposal indicated that nuclear power could be considered “green energy in a broad sense.” Some academics said that Taiwan should “consider reactivating nuclear plants.”
However, what is the rationale behind activating the unfinished Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮), and why is it generally considered not feasible to do so?
Before the 2021 national referendum, entrepreneurs, officials and academics had already discussed and debated the issue. A great amount of data had been accumulated over the months.
Therefore, how can the decision to not complete the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant be overturned, simply because of Germany’s brief delay in closing its last three nuclear plants?
More absurdly, local media, mistakenly believing that Germany’s postponement was intended to allow for reactivation of the plants, reported distorted views on the issue with articles such as “Germany reactivates nuclear plants; can Taiwan follow suit?” and “Why Germany decides to embrace nuclear energy again.”
Some reports declared “a global return to nuclear power,” while adding a question mark to the headline to confuse readers.
German weekly Der Spiegel said that the last three nuclear plants were closed on Saturday and are about to be dismantled. The German government said the phaseout is irreversible.
Based on the experiences of Finland, France and the UK, it is not cost-effective to build new nuclear power plants, and German contractors are no longer interested in thier construction.
The issue of completing the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant might return in the presidential election next year, offering the public a chance to test the competency and reliability of Taiwan’s political parties.
Wu Hai-ruei is a manager of a listed company.
Translated by Emma Liu
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