ROC President Ma Ying-jeou said June 3 that the government’s stance on yet-to-be-completed Lungmen nuclear power station was unchanged: without safety assurances, no operating license would be given.
Ma’s comments came as he toured Taiwan Power Co.’s Lungmen plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District on the second day of an energy tour. He inspected the pump room and the watertight gates that protect the reactor against flooding, the 48,000 cubic meter fresh water pond and the control room, while being briefed on the plant’s seven lines of defense against tsunamis.
“The operation of Taiwan’s nuclear power plants has been highly rated,” Ma said. “It was placed fifth in the world for unit capability factor—the ratio between the possible production minus the planned and the unplanned downtimes and possible production—by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and ranked in the top four by Nucleonics Week magazine from 2009 to 2012.
“What we are talking about today is not just the Lungmen plant, but energy safety and nuclear power in general, an issue which will impact the nation for the next 30 to 50 years. The country imports more than 98 percent of its energy and uses an independent power grid. It must be well prepared.”
Once Lungmen comes on line, the four nuclear power stations will provide 60 billion kilowatt hours of power. A huge deficit will appear if the Maanshan nuclear power plant in Hengchun Township is decommissioned on schedule in 2025, which cannot be met by reducing consumption, the president said.
Ma added that solar, wind or other energy from renewable sources will not match the deficit. “Moreover, there are no plans to build any other power stations.
“Abandoning available energy sources will have a negative impact on the economy and goes against global trends. There are 435 nuclear plants operating globally, with a further 231 planned or under construction,” he said.
“The government must consider both energy safety and supply stability. Before the goal of a nuclear-free homeland can be reached, alternative energy sources must be made available to meet the goals of zero electricity rationing, reasonable electricity prices and fulfilling the national carbon reduction commitment.” (SDH)
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