The Atomic Energy Council (AEC) yesterday approved Taiwan Power Co’s (Taipower) request to restart a nuclear reactor, saying the council is still adhering to the government’s plan to achieve a nuclear-free homeland by 2025.
Taipower operates six nuclear reactors at three nuclear power plants. Until last month, only the No. 1 reactor at Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, in Ma-anshan (馬鞍山), Pingtung County, was operational.
Since the implementation of a summer electricity rate at the start of this month, Taipower has made two requests to the council, saying it needs to restart the No. 1 reactor at the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and the No. 2 reactor at the Ma-anshan plant.
Minister Without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen (張景森) on Thursday announced on Facebook the activation of the No. 1 reactor at the Guosheng plant, before the AEC made an official announcement on Friday.
Opponents of nuclear power worry that the government’s promise to phase out nuclear power by 2025 will not be realized.
A group of protesters gathered in front of the Executive Yuan at 9:30am yesterday, demanding that Premier Lin Chuan (林全) bar Taipower from restarting more nuclear generators.
“Lin should oust AEC Minister Hsieh Shou-shing (謝曉星) and immediately stop the nuclear plants’ operation,” Taiwan Environmental Radiation Survey convener Lin Jui-chu (林瑞珠) said.
There are 8,783 spent fuel rods stored at the Guosheng plant and in case of an emergency, there would be no room to store other spent fuel rods taken out of the reactor, Lin said.
The campaigners also asked the Control Yuan to investigate the liability of Lin Chuan and Hsieh, as well as that of Minister of the Economic Affairs Lee Chih-kung (李世光).
The AEC called a news conference one hour after the protest began.
“The AEC has been independent in making decisions. The minister without portfolio’s predictions might be based on his information from other sources,” AEC Department of Nuclear Regulation Director-General Chang Shin (張欣) said.
Taipower on June 1 made a request to restart the Guosheng plant’s No.1 reactor and on Friday made an application for electricity delivery, department Deputy Director-General Li Chi-ssu (李綺思) said.
The company applied to restart the Ma-anshan plant’s No.1 reactor on Wednesday, which the council approved yesterday, Chang said.
Hsieh said the council reviews applications filed by Taipower and the Ministry of Economic Affairs based on their adherence to safety standards.
The six nuclear generators will start to be decommissioned from next year through to 2025, he said, reaffirming that the time frame has not changed.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS