Nuclear power generation could be the last resort in the nation’s bid to cut down on carbon dioxide emissions while maintaining sustainable economic development, according to Mr. Shen Shih-hung, chief of the Environmental Protection Administration, when answering lawmakers’ questions concerning the new administration’s campaign to deal with the global warming challenges in June 2008.

There were media reports that the new government of President Ma Ying-jeou inclines to give a bigger role to nuclear power considering the soaring crude oil prices and the high carbon emissions from fossil energy resources.

Media reports quoted executives of Taiwan Power Co. saying that the state-owned power company is capable of speeding up the construction of the No. 4 Nuclear Power Plant (NPP4) while extending the service life of the three existing ones.

The No. 1 reactor at the NPP4 is expected to commence commercial operations in July 2009.  Construction of the NPP4 has been suspended by the Democratic Progressive Party government from 2000 to 2001.

Concerned about the potential damage to the environment and impact of the NPP 4 on the life of the people in Taiwan, Hotline Asia issued UA000721(13) in July 2000 to call on the government to stop work on the project until the results of the re-evaluation are published.


Source:
The China Post

Concerned that the construction of the nuclear power plant number 4 (NPP 4) at Kongliao, might have potential damage on the environment, Hotline Asia issued UA000721(13) in 2000 to urge the Taiwanese authorities to stop construction until a comprehensive and transparent re-evaluation was conducted.

Despite safety warnings from conservationists on the civil engineering construction and the rust of the reactor, a core reactor for NPP4 was installed on 20 March 2005. In October 2000, the winner of the 2000 presidential elections, Mr. Chen Shui Bian of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has scrapped the partly built US$5.6 billion plant without consulting the Legislative Council. The DPP government opposed NPP4 on grounds of safety and difficulty in disposing of the waste, but reinstated the project in February 2001.

Source:
South China Morning Post