The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would push for amendments to the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act (核子反應器設施管制法) this legislative session to extend the use of the nation’s nuclear power plants, KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday.
Chu made the remarks at a press conference in Taipei during which a poll conducted by the party’s think tank was publicized, showing that 73.6 percent of respondents supported the extension of nuclear power plant operations, while 20.7 opposed it.
Taiwan in July last year shut down the No. 1 reactor of its only active nuclear plant, the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County’s Ma-anshan (馬鞍山), and is poised to become the first non-nuclear country in East Asia after the last reactor’s license expires in May.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
Chu said the KMT’s proposed amendments would seek to extend the life of existing nuclear reactors from 40 years to 60 years.
The KMT hopes for bipartisan talks that can extend the life of nuclear energy reactors, he added.
According to the poll, 77 percent of respondents were in favor of amendments to the Electricity Act (電業法) that would establish a supervisory committee for the energy industry to ensure transparency and efficiency, while 12 percent were against.
On the shift from a nuclear-free to carbon-free policy, 57.8 percent of respondents were in favor, while 25.5 disagreed, the poll showed.
Chu said the nuclear-free policy has negatively impacted Taiwan’s energy development, adding that shutting down nuclear power plants in favor of green energy sources raises electricity prices and thermal power generation creates severe air pollution.
Due to Taiwan’s limited natural resources, it must rely on imported, nuclear and green energy sources, Chu said.
While the US has stopped developing wind power, unlike Taiwan it can rely on mining and domestic energy production, he said.
“The governing party is focused on politics, while the KMT is focused on people’s livelihoods,” Chu said, referring to the Democratic People’s Party’s push for a recall of KMT lawmakers.
The KMT is proposing several key policies to tackle the challenges of energy production, he said.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Energy Administration currently leads energy management, but it has to comply with central government policies and cannot operate independently, Chu said.
The KMT is proposing to amend the Electricity Act to establish an independent energy supervision committee to address public concerns and resolve issues, he said.
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant is scheduled to close in May, but experts have warned that Taiwan might face serious power shortages and the industrial sector has raised concerns, Chu said.
Countries around the world are aiming to reduce carbon emissions, achieve net zero goals and phase out coal, he added.
Taiwan should focus on being carbon-free rather than nuclear-free, which is an outdated concept, he said.
Transitioning from a nuclear-free approach to a carbon-free approach aligns with global trends and is crucial in the development of artificial intelligence, he added.
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