Taiwan « nuclear-news

Protest in Taiwan against slanted referendum question

Nuclear referendum question protested, Taipei Tmes By Lee I-chia / Staff Reporter, 19 Apr 13, Members of the Green Citizens’ Action Alliance demand that the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District, New Taipei City be discontinued without a referendum, outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Continue reading →

April 20, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Influence of USA on Taiwan govt’s nuclear power policy

NSC denies US role in nuclear energy policy, Taipei Times By Mo Yan-chih 27 Mar 13

The National Security Council (NSC) yesterday denied that it had discussed the recent dispute over the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮) with the US, saying that nuclear power issues would not affect US-Taiwan relations.

“The government never discussed nuclear power plant issues with the US and did not receive any response from the US on the matter,” it said in a press release.

Amid mounting opposition to the power plant’s completion, the Chinese-language China Times yesterday said that while Taiwan imports most of its uranium from Australia, the uranium is sent to the US to be refined into fuel for the generation of nuclear power. The Taiwanese government pays billions to the US government every year for uranium refinement and for consultations about the power plant.

Citing anonymous sources from the council, the report said that the fuel refinement business with the US plays a role in the Taiwanese government’s nuclear power policy, such as its insistence on only gradually reducing the use of nuclear energy, or aversion to abruptly suspending construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, because a policy change could jeopardize bilateral relations…….http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/03/28/2003558195

March 29, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwan’s Economics Committee votes to suspend nuclear plant construction

Motions passed to cease nuclear plant construction Taipei Times, By Helen Ku, Shih Hsiu-chuan and Chris Wang / Staff reporters 21 March 13, Motions demanding that state-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台灣電力公司) suspend construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮) and rejecting the company’s budget proposal for the year were passed yesterday by the legislature’s Economics Committee.

The motions, initiated by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers, shot down Taipower’s plan to spend NT$11.7 billion (US$392.99 million) on the plant this year, including NT$10.7 billion of construction work that has already been outsourced. Continue reading →

March 22, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwan’s opposition Democratic Progressive Party launching anti nuclear campaign

DPP to launch ‘rational’ anti-nuclear campaign Focus Taiwan, By Lee Shu-hua and Ann Chen, Taipei, March 3 (CNA) The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said Sunday that it will launch a “rational” anti-nuclear campaign after the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) accepted the idea of holding a referendum on the controversial Fourth Nuclear Power Plant project. Continue reading →

March 4, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwan government downgrades nuclear safety regulator

Cabinet demotes nuclear safety body Taipei Times, 21 Feb 13, SAFE?With the ministerial-level Atomic Energy Council set to be disbanded, the new nuclear safety regulator will be a third-level agency under the Executive Yuan

By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporterDespite mounting public concern, the Cabinet yesterday declared that the agency overseeing nuclear safety would be downgraded from a ministerial-level council as part of an ongoing government restructuring plan.

The Cabinet yesterday approved the draft organic law of the nuclear safety regulatory authority, in which the current regulator, the Atomic Energy Council (AEC), would be disbanded and replaced by a third-level independent agency subordinate to the Executive Yuan. Part of the AEC’s functions will also be transferred to two ministries in charge of economic affairs and energy and technology, as part of the government’s efforts to streamline its agencies.

As a third-level agency subordinate to the Executive Yuan, the nuclear safety regulator would have the same rank as an institution like the Aviation Security Council, according to the Cabinet’s Research, Development and Evaluation Commission.

Lawmakers, anti-nuclear activists and even some AEC officials have said that the downgrade would make it more difficult for officials in charge of nuclear safety regulation to coordinate with ministerial-level bodies to ensure nuclear safety……. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2013/02/22/2003555394

February 22, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwanese lead the way in cultural opposition to the nuclear industry

Directors seek to boost anti-nuclear bid http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2013/01/19/2003552898/2 CREATIVE PROTESTS:The directors called on artistic heavyweights to join their anti-nuclear bid, and said that art rather than rhetoric could best serve the cause By Tang Chia-ling and Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter, with Staff writer In a move to strengthen their anti-nuclear efforts, film directors Ko I-chen (柯一正) and Wu Yi-feng (吳乙峰) are considering inviting well-known people from the artistic and entertainment industries to endorse their petition against the construction of the nation’s controversy-plagued Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市).

In a statement jointly authored by Ko and Wu, which they said would be published on their Facebook pages in the near future, the pair called on heavyweights from the artistic and cultural sectors to weigh in on their anti-nuclear bid.

“We will spare no effort in inviting Taiwanese ‘living national treasures’ to join our cause, such as globally acclaimed director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) and Cloud Gate founder Lin Hwai-min (林懷民),” Ko said.

The statement also urged the government to scrap a budget proposal to invest several billion NT dollars more in the contentious plant, “for the sake of offering peace of mind to the many parents in the country and their offspring.” Continue reading →

January 19, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwan’s anti nuclear groups organise for a nuclear free country

Taiwan’s Nuclear-free New Year’s Wish, Global Voices, by I-fan Lin 6 January 2013 Every year, Taiwanese gather around Taipei 101, the tallest building in Taiwan to see fireworks and celebrate the coming of the new year.

This year, the celebration was very special as popular singers, environmental and youth activists worked together to present a nuclear-free homeland as Taiwanese people’s common wish [zh] for 2013. Singers performed in new year’s eve parties and sang anti-nuclear songs. Environment groups organized a joint signature campaign to build consensus among Taiwanese for a nuclear-free policy.

The most eye-catching action was delivered by a number of youth activists under the Citizens No Nuke [zh, en, jp, de] network, who projected an anti-nuclear sign on Taipei 101 during the annual fireworks. They uploaded their action to Youtube afterwards. ….. Is Taiwan ready to become a nuclear-free country? On Jan 9, 2013, the Legislative Yuan will start to examine the draft law on the promotion of a nuclear-free homeland [zh], which was proposed in 2005. If this draft law is passed, the three nuclear power plants will cease to operate once their service lives have expired and the construction of the fourth nuclear power plant will be stopped.

Currently, the residents affected by the construction of the fourth nuclear power plant are pressing for a referendum [zh] to stop its construction in 2013.
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/01/06/taiwan-nuclear-free-new-years-wish/

January 7, 2013 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Taiwan | Leave a comment

High radiation levels on orchid island, Taiwan

Japanese professors detect high radiation on island in Taiwan Japan Times, Kyodo TAIPEI, 20 Nov 12, — Two Japanese scholars say they have detected high levels of radiation on Orchid Island, a temporary underground storage site of low-level radioactive nuclear waste off Taiwan’s southeastern coast.TAIPEI — Continue reading →

November 22, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Call for INDEPENDENT radiation monitoring in Lanyu (Orchid Island)

Thirty years after the storage facility was built without prior consultation and communication with Lanyu residents, the government has yet to conduct a complete investigation of nuclear radiation on the island

The council was accused of malpractice concerning nuclear waste repackaging in Lanyu last month.

Groups urge Lanyu radioactivity checks, Taipei Times, 20 Nov 12, DODGY TESTS:The Atomic Energy Council said that the devices used in previous radioactivity checks by Japanese experts had been affected by electromagnetic waves By Chris Wang and Lee I-chia Staff reporters Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmakers and several academics yesterday told a press conference that the nuclear radiation level in Lanyu (蘭嶼), also known as Orchid Island, was a serious concern and demanded a complete investigation into potential radiation threats on the island. Continue reading →

November 21, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwan legislators want end to nuclear power

Legislators call for nuclear plant conversion
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/11/05/2003546939 By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Ting Shou-chung (丁守中) and Chiu Wen-yen (邱文彥) yesterday urged the government to replace nuclear
power with liquified natural gas (LNG) and to halt the construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s (新北市) Gongliao District (貢寮) in a bid to prevent nuclear disaster. Continue reading →

November 5, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Warning to Taiwan on its special danger from nuclear power

Taiwan has one of the highest densities of nuclear power plants in the world

the population density in northern Taiwan is so high that it would be very difficult to evacuate people if a nuclear accident were to occur at the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City (新北市).
“The evacuation efficiency in northern Taiwan is virtually zero,”

Scientist warns of dangers of Taiwan nuclear mishap Taipei Times 21 Oct 12, By Lee I-chia A Japanese nuclear scientist and researcher says that if a nuclear accident occurred at one of northern Taiwan’s nuclear power plants, about 30,000 people would die within a short period of time and up to 7 million people could develop cancer from exposure to the nuclear radiation. Continue reading →

October 22, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, Taiwan | Leave a comment

High levels of radiation on Lanyu (Orchid Island)

“Two Japanese academics have found unusual levels of radiation at more than 10 locations around Lanyu, with the level at one location as high as 500 times more than the environment background value — this shows that the issue of radioactive pollution is very serious on the island,”

Activists demand survey of Lanyu radiation levels, Taipei Times, 29 Sept 12, PARADISE LOST? Professors warn that radiation levels pose a threat to both residents and visitors of the island and may cause cancers and cardiovascular diseases By Loa Iok-sin / Staff reporter Environmentalists yesterday called on the Atomic Energy Council (AEC) to conduct a thorough survey around Lanyu (蘭嶼, also known as Orchid Island) as a report released by Japanese academics shows that an unusual amount of radiation has been
found on the island and that the nuclear waste storage facility on the island may be leaking. Continue reading →

September 29, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwan’s crackdown on anti nuclear protestors

Anti-nuclear protesters confronted by Taipower ‘thug’ police: DPP lawmaker Taipei Times, 9 Sept 12, By Su Yung-yao and Jake Chung The National Police Agency special police second headquarters has taken the lead in countering anti-nuclear activities and become a thug for Taiwan Power Co (Taipower), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Cheng Li-chun (鄭麗君) said yesterday.
Cheng said the headquarters’ Web site included an articled titled “The anti-nuclear trend is no longer fashionable”, which claims that anti-nuclear activists are irrational, use false data and base their views on the slim chance that a nuclear disaster might happen……
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2012/09/10/2003542412

September 10, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | civil liberties, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Taiwan – anti nuclear protest alerts rock festival crowd to reactor danger

The [nuclear ] plant is only 8 kilometers away from watershed of Feitsui Resevoir, the major source of drinking water for Taipei residents.

About 7 million people could die as a result of a nuclear disaster at the plant

the plant ‘s safety has been constantly questioned by domestic nuclear experts… Like Japan, Taiwan is also prone to massive earthquakes.

Anti-nuclear activists protest reactor at rock festival http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2012/07/16/347687/Anti-nuclear-activists.htm By Kathy Chu-–Only three kilometers away from the fourth nuclear power plant, the five-day Ho-Hai-Yan Gongliao Rock Festival kicked off on 7/11 in Gonliao, New Taipei City. According to the estimate, several hundred thousand people would have swarmed to this small seaside town by the end of 7/15. About two dozen young men and women among them, however, were not there for fun; calling themselves the “Anti-Nuclear Troop,” they were there to launch a no-nuke campaign in this annual beach party. Continue reading →

July 16, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, Taiwan | Leave a comment

Liu Li-erh calls for a nuclear free Taiwan

we have about 8,000 spent fuel rods stored in the cooling pool at the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant [in Wanli District (萬里), New Taipei City] and a total of about 16,000 throughout the country

in February France’s Le Monde newspaper warned about the risk from poor management of spent fuel rods at the Guosheng plant.

Many Japanese companies and government offices have saved up to 50 percent on their electricity consumption since the disaster, “so Taiwan can surely do the same to end our reliance on nuclear power

Now is time to go nuclear-free: author, Taipei Times By Lee I-chia 24 June 12, Tokyo-based Taiwanese writer Liu Li-erh (劉黎兒) yesterday in Taipei shared her latest fact-finding from Japan to say that now is the best time to put a halt to nuclear power in Taiwan… Continue reading →

June 25, 2012 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Taiwan, wastes | Leave a comment

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