Campaigners against nuclear energy yesterday filed a lawsuit against Premier Lin Chuan (林全) over his idea of reactivating Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant’s No. 1 reactor amid safety fears over the aging reactor.
Lin was accused of endangering public safety with his remarks on Sunday that he might permit the restart of the reactor at the plant in New Taipei City’s Shimen District (石門), which has been shut for nearly 18 months, to ease the nation’s power shortages.
It is the second lawsuit against officials who have suggested restart the reactor; Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Chih-kung (李世光) and Atomic Energy Council Minister Hsieh Shou-shing (謝曉星) were sued on Monday last week.
Photo: CNA
Veteran campaigner Lin Jui-chu (林瑞珠) said that the reactor is the most dangerous nuclear facility in the world because there are used fuel rods that are unable to be retrieved from the reactor, and there is no precedent for reusing spent fuel rods.
Campaigners say that power shortages are not enough of a reason to restart the reactor.
“There is no power shortage in Taiwan. Taiwan Power Co’s [Taipower] total generation capacity is 48,000 megawatts, but the nation consumes 35,000 megawatts. That means about 28 percent of the capacity has not been tapped, because Taipower either allows power plants to undergo maintenance or run at lower capacity,” Mom Loves Taiwan secretary-general Yang Shun-mei (楊順美) said.
“How can we allow that 28 percent capacity to remain unused, Yang said.
Lin’s move is abusing the Executive Yuan’s authority and reneging on the party’s promise of going nuclear-free by 2025, Green Consumers’ Foundation chairman Jay Fang (方儉) said.
Taipower has denied allegations that it does not fully utilize its facilities, saying it was operating at a margin of 1.64 percent on Tuesday last week — the lowest operating margin in 10 years.
Excluding the 7,000 megawatt generation capacity of the private sector over which the company has no control, Taipower has only a capacity of 41,000 megawatts, but that does not equal to actual power generation capacity, which is restricted by environmental protection issues, maintenance and weather.
“Accusations that Taipower creates an impression of power shortage risk are not true,” the company said.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday announced a ban on all current and former government officials from traveling to China to attend a military parade on Sept. 3, which Beijing is to hold to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War. "This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Republic of China’s victory in the War of Resistance [Against Japan]," MAC Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a regular news briefing in Taipei. To prevent Beijing from using the Sept. 3 military parade and related events for "united
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