Premier Wu Den-yih (吳敦義) yesterday said Kuokuang Petrochemical Technology Co (國光石化) might seek an alternative overseas location — possibly in Malaysia or Indonesia — for a proposed naphtha cracking plant, after the planned site in Changhua County was ruled out.
Moving overseas would be an option for Kuokuang, Wu said, adding that E United Group (義聯集團) had relocated a steel plant to Vietnam after concerns emerged about the environmental impacts the project might have on wetlands and lagoons in Greater -Tainan’s Cigu District (七股).
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on Friday in effect halted the Kuokuang project by asking the state-owned CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油), the largest shareholder, to withdraw from the project that would have required a NT$632.5 billion (US$21.9 billion) investment to build the capacity to refine 300,000 barrels of crude oil daily and produce 1.2 million tonnes of ethylene annually.
The government had previously said that without the Kuokuang project, the nation would face ethylene shortages by 2015, when the fifth naphtha cracker in Greater Kaohsiung’s Nanzih District (楠梓) is closed.
However, in a clear break from that stand, Wu said: “There will be no immediate impact” on the nation’s petrochemical industry caused by the decision to stop the Kuokuang project.
The first stage of the Kuokuang complex had been aimed at replacing the 500,000 tonnes of -ethylene lost when the Nanzih plant is shut down as the government had promised after residents protested long and hard against it.
“It would still be several years before the Kuokuang complex would come into operation even if Kuokuang was allowed to start construction as scheduled,” Wu said, adding that the government had measures in place to ensure sufficient supply of materials for mid and downstream industries.
Ma said on Friday he would not support building the proposed project in a Changhua County wetlands area, but left open the possibility that other sites in Taiwan could be considered. Reports have suggested the complex would now be relocated southwards to -Kaohsiung’s Linyuan (林園) or Dalinpu (大林蒲) areas.
Both Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) and the -Kaohsiung City Council immediately opposed the idea of having the petrochemical complex in their area.
The city “does not welcome the Kuokuang petrochemical complex” and would not accept any attempt by the central government to move a highly polluting industry there, Chen said.
Kaohsiung City Council Speaker Hsu Kun-yuan (許崑源) said Greater Kaohsiung residents inhale “toxic gases” daily, with the pollution coming from heavy industry and petrochemical plants.
With the Kuokuang project now in limbo, some have asked if it could return to the location originally suggested in Yunlin County, just south of Changhua County.
However, the Yunlin County Government was also quick to nix the idea.
“By no means can it be accepted,” a Yunlin County government official said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old