1 May (NucNet): The thinking behind the decision to mothball Taiwan’s fourth nuclear power station is to keep “the option open” to future generations and not to signal the end of nuclear energy in Taiwan, president Ma Ying-jeou has said.
In a post on social media, Mr Ma confirmed the administration’s decision earlier this week to discontinue work on Unit 1 at the Lungmen nuclear station once safety inspections to be completed. Once the inspections are over, the reactor will be put into protective storage, he said.
All construction work on Unit 2 will be halted. No fuel rods will be installed in either reactor.
Taiwan reacted to anti-nuclear protests by agreeing to halt construction of the two units at Lungmen with its eventual opening depending on the outcome of a national referendum.
For a referendum to pass, 50 percent of eligible voters need to turn out, with over half voting in favour or against. Some opposition Democratic Progressive Party politicians are calling for the turnout threshold to be reduced to 25 percent.
The DPP opposes the nuclear power station project on safety grounds, while Mr Ma’s ruling Kuomintang party says the island will run short of power unless it goes ahead.
There are two of the General Electric Advanced Boiling Water Reactor units under construction at Lungmen, on Taiwain’s northern coast. Work on Lungmen-1 began in March 1999 and on Lungmen-2 in August 1999.
Taiwan has three nuclear stations in commercial operation with two reactor units at each. The stations are Chinshan, Kuosheng and Maanshan.
