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.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) yesterday said that private-sector refiners are willing to stop buying Russian naphtha should the EU ask them to, after a group of non-governmental organizations, including the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), criticized the nation’s continued business with the country. While Taiwan joined the US and its Western allies in putting broad sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, it did not explicitly ban imports of naphtha, a major hard-currency earner for Russia. While state-owned firms stopped importing Russian oil in 2023, there is no restriction on private companies to
President William Lai (賴清德) is expected to announce a new advanced “all-domain” air defense system to better defend against China when he gives his keynote national day speech today, four sources familiar with the matter said. Taiwan is ramping up defense spending and modernizing its armed forces, but faces a China that has a far larger military and is adding its own advanced new weapons such as stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles. Lai is expected to announce the air defense system dubbed “Taiwan Dome” in his speech this morning, one of the sources said. The system
RSS