In a recent interview with Japan’s Nikkei, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) was reported to have mentioned a plan to restart nuclear power in 2030. The premier on Friday rejected such reports, asking the media not to misinterpret his statements.
Cho said that the Unit 1 reactor of Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant, the third and the last remaining active nuclear power plant in Taiwan, has been decommissioned with no plans to extend its operation. Regarding the future of nuclear technology in Taiwan, Premier Cho stated that any discussion will be under the three premises of safety, nuclear waste management, and societal consensus.
The government’s nuclear-free homeland policy has been repeatedly questioned with rumors of shifts in face of growing energy demand. Cho on Friday insisted that even if plans were drawn to revert to nuclear power, the Maanshan nuclear power plant would not be able to restart by 2030 after its last reactor begins decommissioning next May. He asserted that with the new liquefied natural gas (LNG) power plants and green energy development, the government can provide 9.2 million kilowatts of power by 2030, sufficient to meet the additional 7 million kilowatts demand as assessed by Taipower.
Premier Cho said the government is open to future discussions regarding nuclear technology, as long as the safety is guaranteed, the nuclear waste can be managed, and there is consensus in society. Cho expressed regrets about the reported inaccurate information, that while foreign media journalists understood his Chinese, the domestic media misinterpreted his words.