Taiwan could share its experience in decommissioning nuclear power facilities with other Asian countries, as it is on track to phase out three nuclear power plants, Vice Premier Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) said yesterday at the conclusion of the three-day National Science and Technology Conference.
The quadrennial conference opened on Monday at the Taipei International Convention Center, with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) delivering an opening speech.
Taiwan should commercialize the techniques for decommissioning nuclear power generation facilities, with the experience gained from dismantling three plants, Shen said.
Photo: CNA
It could share its experience with other Asian countries that also plan to dismantle their facilities, he added.
The Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Shihmen District (石門) last year started its 25-year decommissioning process.
Currently, one generator at the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District (萬里) and two generators at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant (馬鞍山) in Pingtung County contribute nearly 9 percent of the nation’s power, data on Taiwan Power Co’s Web site showed yesterday.
The government plans to decommission the two plants by 2025, while the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮) remains mothballed.
Likewise, Taiwan plays a leading role in developing green energy in Asia and has attracted investments by many European energy developers, Shen said.
The nation’s offshore wind farms could become models of combining European energy development techniques with the nation’s own experience, he said.
The last conference in 2016 was criticized by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co founder Morris Chang (張忠謀) for having a low turnout of industrial representatives and holding only “abstract” discussions.
This year’s conference recorded more than 1,400 visits, with industrial and academic representatives representing 36 percent each, and the government 28 percent, Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) said, thanking participants for their contributions.
As domestic tech firms are transitioning from original equipment manufacturers to players in an innovative economy, the nation’s 2030 tech policy should respond to social needs in the post-COVID-19 era, and promote tolerance and sustainability, Wu said.
To foster more research talent, the Ministry of Education has proposed legislation on industry-academia collaboration and talent cultivation in key areas, which is being reviewed by the Legislative Yuan, Deputy Minister of Education Lio Mon-chi (劉孟奇) said.
If passed, the bill would encourage universities to work with businesses in innovation by easing certain regulations, he said, adding that he hoped the legislature would approve it soon.
A series of discussions on the legacy of martial law and authoritarianism are to be held at the Taipei International Book Exhibition this month, featuring findings and analysis by the Transitional Justice Commission. The commission and publisher Book Republic organized the series, entitled “Escaping the Nation’s Labyrinth of Memory: What Authoritarian Symbols and Records Can Tell Us,” to help people navigate narratives through textual analysis and comparisons with other nations. The four-day series is to begin on Thursday next week with a discussion between commission Chairwoman Yang Tsui (楊翠), Polish-language translator Lin Wei-yun (林蔚昀), and Polish author and artist Pawel Gorecki comparing
‘EFFECTIVE DETERRENCE’: If the Biden administration suspends arms sales to Taiwan, the military could still ready a nimble fighting force for defense, an analyst said The “US Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific” last week sparked debate among analysts after US President Donald Trump declassified the document 20 years ahead of schedule. Trump on Tuesday last week released the document that had governed US strategic action in the region since the US leader approved its use in 2018. The document, which outlines US priorities in the region, emphasizes the importance of defending Taiwan against military aggression and facilitating the country’s development of asymmetric strategies and capabilities. The overall directive of the document is for the US to prevent China from establishing sustained air and sea dominance inside the first
MOVING OUT: A former professor said that rent and early education costs in Taipei are the nation’s highest, which makes it difficult for young people to start families The population of Taipei last year fell to the lowest in 23 years due to high rent, more transportation options and the expansion of northern cities into a single metropolis, academics and city officials said on Monday. Data released this month by the Ministry of the Interior showed that the capital was home to 2,602,418 people last year, down 42,623 from 2019. The decline is second only to 1993, when the population fell by 42,828 people, while Taipei’s population was the lowest it has been since 1997. Taipei saw the biggest drop among the six special municipalities, while Taoyuan led the group in
A legislator yesterday called for authorities to investigate the sale of Chinese-made, Internet-connected karaoke machines containing “propaganda songs.” Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) said she was approached by a person who had discovered Chinese patriotic songs such as My Motherland (我的祖國) — which is commonly referred to as China’s “second national anthem” — in Chinese-made karaoke devices sold in Taiwan. The machines are popular, as they can connect to the Internet, providing access to thousands of songs, she said. One retailer, who asked to remain anonymous, said that the machines first entered the local market about three years ago, starting with
RSS