Taiwan Environmental Groups Oppose Additional Budget for Fourth Nuclear Power Plant

Strategic Insights -

Taipei County's Kungliao township, home to the fourth nuclear power plant project, has seen a strong opposition from over 10 domestic environmental groups who expressed their concerns to President Chen Shui-bian, Premier Su Tseng-chang, and other high-ranking officials. The civic groups presented an eight-point proposal for a greener way of living in Taiwan, including a call to veto the NT$73.3 billion (US$2.3 billion) additional budget requested for the plant. The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union's president, Chen Shu-hua, pointed out that the state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) has requested supplementary budgets of NT$19 billion and NT$54.3 billion, increasing the original budget to NT$243 billion and making the plant the most expensive nuclear power plant in the world.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 10 domestic environmental groups, including the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union, the Taiwan Academy of Ecology, and the Homemakers Union and Foundation, expressed opposition to the additional budget for the fourth nuclear power plant project.
  • The civic groups met with President Chen Shui-bian, Premier Su Tseng-chang, and Yu Shyi-kun, chairman of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, to present their case and an eight-point proposal for a greener way of living in Taiwan.
  • The proposal includes calling on the Legislative Yuan to veto the NT$73.3 billion (US$2.3 billion) additional budget requested for the fourth nuclear power plant project.
  • Chen Shu-hua, president of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union, noted that even if the 2,700-megawatt nuclear power plant is in operation for 40 years, it will not be able to recover the construction cost, let alone the cost of nuclear waste disposal and subsequent expenses to retire the plant.

Statistics:

  • NT$73.3 billion (US$2.3 billion) additional budget requested for the fourth nuclear power plant project.
  • NT$19 billion and NT$54.3 billion supplementary budgets requested by the state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower).
  • NT$243 billion new budget for the fourth nuclear power plant project.
  • 2,700 megawatts: capacity of the nuclear power plant.
  • 40 years: estimated operation period of the nuclear power plant.

Sources:

  • CNA
  • Asia Pulse