The government's nuclear power policy is premised on nuclear safety, stressed Premier Jiang Yi-huah at today's Cabinet meeting after hearing the Ministry of Economic Affairs' (MOEA) report on the continued construction of the Longmen Nuclear Power Plant, which would be the nation's fourth.
Jiang requested the MOEA and the Atomic Energy Council make certain that Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) conducts nuclear safety inspections and reinforces related safety measures, saying that the general public will only accept the temporary use of nuclear power if the safety of the fourth plant is assured.
"The construction of the Longmen plant is intended to stabilize Taiwan's power supply for the next 50 years, not to demonstrate the government's construction techniques and ability to ensure nuclear safety," said the premier. "It is hoped that nuclear power can make a positive contribution to Taiwan's electricity supply while the goal of a non-nuclear homeland is gradually phased in."
It has been a month since the new Cabinet, which took office on February 18 this year, announced its decision to put the future of the Longmen power plant to a referendum. "Over the past one or two years, especially after Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster, the public's concern over the Longmen plant's safety has been running high, and it is unlikely to be cleared up within a month," noted Premier Jiang. "The government is approaching this issue extremely seriously and hopes that all citizens will solemnly and rationally consider this issue."
He said today's briefing was meant to enable the heads of various government administrative agencies to have a correct and thorough understanding of national policy on energy security and the Longmen plant.
"The futures of the Longmen plant and Taiwan's energy policy are closely related with Taiwan's safety," the premier said, "not only because the lives and property of Taiwanese citizens would be directly affected by safety issues at the plant, but also because of the impact even a short-term power shortage would have on the industrial structure and economic development, which, in turn, directly affect the employment opportunities and lifestyles of next generation of young people.
"This is a grave issue. Many people from different walks of life are questioning the government about nuclear safety and national energy policy. They may think the government has not immediately responded, but in fact the Executive Yuan has already begun to do this."
There were discussions today about how long the nation will use nuclear energy and whether the plan is for the Longmen plant to provide service until renewable energy production has matured enough to replace it and meet Taiwan's power needs.
Jiang said the Executive Yuan's position is that keeping nuclear energy at this stage would be necessary provided the new nuclear power plant's operation is proven safe.
"If the public still does not want to accept this conclusion after the safety tests are passed, however, the Executive Yuan would submit the policy to a referendum, and the voters would have the last word," he said. "Officials' opinions are not privileged over citizens' when it comes to ultimate value judgments. If the citizens decided to halt the construction of the plant, the government would have to honor that. This is the framework the Executive Yuan will be following over the next several months."
The government has formulated stringent procedures for the plant and invited reputed experts from at home and abroad to inspect its safety. While awaiting their evaluation results, the administration will simultaneously proceed with other necessary measures.
"The focus of the public's concern is neither energy policy nor the use of a referendum but rather the intermediate issues of how nuclear power will be phased out, its necessity and its safety," the premier said. "Some people think that Taiwan does not need to develop nuclear power, and it can be replaced with renewable energy or other sources. Others have already made up their minds that the plant will not pass safety checks even before the experts have begun their examination. The government must intensify its communication on these issues."
Jiang reiterated that all Cabinet ministers should be humble, listening patiently to valuing citizens' opinions. "There is no reason to consider criticism irrational or wrong," he said. "Instead, our ministers must be objective and introspective in response to public doubts." He also asked relevant agencies to speed up the provision of open, transparent and accurate information on nuclear power to the public.
Beginning this April, the MOEA will invite scholars and experts to conduct safety inspections on the Longmen plant. During this half-year process, the MOEA will periodically announce the test results to the public, and after the inspection work is completed, the MOEA will make all the results known and provide open and transparent information to citizens to solicit their support. Finally, the voters of Taiwan will decide the fate of the plant through a referendum.
Premier Jiang also asked Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo, who chairs the ad hoc office for the Longmen plant, to arrange time for other Cabinet ministers—all of them, if possible—to visit the Longman nuclear power plant so that they can be sufficiently informed and have a good grasp of the situation when called upon to explain it to the public.