Premier Jiang Yi-huah today reiterated the government's respect for the anti-nuclear demonstrations in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Taitung and expressed hope that the public will continue to shape Taiwan's future through rational communication.
"Citizens have a fundamental and constitutional right to assembly and demonstration," Jiang said. "Demonstrations are also expressions of public spirit. I fully understand and respect the requests of those who participated in today's marches. I hope that we will all continue to use rational dialogue to deliberate Taiwan's future."
The construction of the Longmen Nuclear Power Plant, which would be the country's fourth, has been a controversial issue for over 20 years, noted the premier. He added that Taiwanese people have been much more concerned about the safety of the plant since the tsunami caused by the Great Tohoku Earthquake on March 11, 2011 damaged Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant in Japan, causing radiation to leak into the local environment.
"I have asked the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Atomic Energy Council to inspect the Longmen plant's safety using the most rigid standards. On February 25, I also announced that the Executive Yuan is willing to hold a referendum to let the Taiwanese people decide whether to halt the construction of the plant," said the premier. "To enable Taiwanese people to make a wise decision, the government must provide abundant, open, accurate and unbiased information for their reference."
Today's demonstrators made five appeals to the government:
1.Stop adding to the construction budget for the Longmen plant
2.Do not install fuel rods in the plant
3.End the use of nuclear power by phasing out the other three nuclear power plants
4.Remove nuclear waste from Orchid Island and examine the nation's nuclear waste policy
5.Carry out a policy of "zero growth in electricity demand"
The Executive Yuan's response to these requests is as follows:
According to the agreement made among the ruling and opposition parties of the Legislature on February 26, the government has halted additions to the plant's budget as well as the planned installation of fuel rods pending the result of the referendum. Thus the Executive Yuan has promised that the 2013 budget request of NT$11.7 billion (US$393 million) for the Longmen plant will not be presented to the Legislative Yuan unless the plant passes all security checks and the referendum reveals citizens support keeping the plant.
The government insists that without nuclear security, there will not be nuclear power. Besides safety checks and tasks that have already been contracted, all work on the fourth plant will stop until the referendum. In addition, the government will carefully review all the security problems raised about the plant over the years. Its actions will include the following:
- The Ministry of Economic Affairs will form a task force of trusted nuclear power plant experts from Taiwan and abroad to review the plant's safety again, evaluate safety test items and procedures thoroughly and test plant procedures in groups.
- The Taiwan Power Co. will invite the World Association of Nuclear Operators to initiate its own peer review.
- Before follow-up work can continue, the Atomic Energy Council (AEC), assisted by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, must make sure all plant items are in accordance with related regulations and standards. If any aspect of the plant fails this evaluation, the AEC will disallow the fuel rods' installment.
The government declared after the Fukushima nuclear disaster that Taiwan's three current nuclear power plants which are currently in operation will be retired according to the following timeline:
- 2018: First reactor of first plant retired
- 2019: Second reactor of first plant retired
- 2021: First reactor of second plant retired
- 2023: Second reactor of second plant retired
- 2024: First reactor of third plant retired
- 2025: Second reactor of third plant retired
The temporary disposal of low-radiation nuclear waste on Orchid Island in the past was the government's last resort, the Executive Yuan said. The new Minister of Economic Affairs, Chang Chia-juch, has demanded Taiwan Power Co. determine a permanent site for the waste. The MOEA will work to resolve this issue as soon as possible in accordance with the Act on Sites for Establishment of a Low Level Radioactive Waste Final Disposal Facility.
As for the public call for "zero growth in electricity demand," the Executive Yuan stated that pursuing a low-carbon and energy-conserving lifestyle is a common goal of citizens and the state. The government hopes to reduce energy- and water-intensive industries through industrial transformation and upgrades and encourage environmentally friendly industries at the same time.
The government is also encouraging individuals to adopt a green lifestyle by promoting water, electricity, gas and paper conservation. These efforts have achieved remarkable results.
"There is a popular consensus for pursuing a nuclear-free homeland," Premier Jiang said. "The government's responsibility during this process, however, is to reduce the use of nuclear power steadily to avoid electricity shortages and rationing, reduce the impact of high electricity prices on industries and people's livelihoods and forestall relocation of industries abroad, which could exacerbate unemployment."
Premier Jiang reiterated that nuclear power was adopted to promote diversity in energy sources and ensure the stability of the nation's electricity supply. "The government understands that the wave of public calls for the abolishment of nuclear energy were sparked by Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster, which greatly heightened safety concerns about the fourth nuclear power plant," he said. "We will invite trusted scholars and experts from home and abroad to inspect the safety of the plant according to the highest standards to guarantee its safety before it begins operation."