Halting the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District (貢寮) will have little effect on the nation’s manufacturing sector in the short term, but it could have a negative influence in the long run, experts said.
Taiwan’s manufacturing activity has not yet been affected by the dispute over the power plant, but the potential for future power shortages or electricity rationing will likely discourage local and foreign investment, Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research president Wu Chung-shu (吳中書) said.
“We really need practical discussion about such issues, including the recent protests against the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant and the service trade agreement with China,” Wu said. “We should avoid political and emotional discussion, and refer to the experiences of other countries.”
Wu urged the government to draft an energy policy based on pertinent analysis after weighing the pros and cons of the power plant.
“Never ignore the balance between costs and efficiency,” he added.
It will take time for Taiwan, which relies on imports for 98 percent of its fossil fuel, to move toward becoming a nuclear-free nation, Wu said, adding that the public should consider which is riskier — operating the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant or extending the lifespans of the three existing plants.
Academia Sinica economics researcher Kamhon Kan (簡錦漢) agreed, saying that the public should consider if the nation could maintain its economic growth without the power plant and the cross-strait service trade agreement.
Steve Lai (賴樹鑫), executive director of the Supply Management Institute in Taiwan, also urged protesters to be aware that energy costs play a critical role in the nation’s competitiveness.
Construction of the power plant’s nearly completed No. 1 and No. 2 reactors has been halted. The No. 1 reactor, which is currently undergoing safety inspections, will not be brought online once the inspections are completed, according to the government.
The Executive Yuan has also promised to convene a national energy conference as soon as possible “to ensure that there will be no cause for worry over future power supply.”
The opposition parties and antinuclear groups have increased their pressure on the administration since earlier this month and have been demanding that the project be scrapped altogether to avoid the danger of a nuclear accident.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first
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