Ma pledges energy diversity for Taiwan

2014-12-08

President Ma Ying-jeou said Dec. 4 that Taiwan is committed to finding a diverse and safe energy mix incorporating all viable sources to ensure the nation’s sustainable development.

“Nuclear power is a key option as Taiwan strives to reduce carbon emissions and diversify its energy mix in a practical manner,” Ma said. “This approach is in line with global trends, including the stance of both the International Energy Agency and  Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

“The government will seek to develop nuclear power along with the guiding principle of maintaining a solid safety record,” he added.

Ma made these remarks while meeting J.S. Armijo at the Presidential Office. The former chairman of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards under the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission is in Taipei to attend a forum on sustainable nuclear energy development.

According to the president, Taiwan imports 98 percent of its energy resources, with nuclear power accounting for 18.8 percent of the nation’s total electricity generation.

Since Taiwan’s first nuclear plant came online in 1978, nuclear energy has produced US$32 billion for the country’s coffers and proven a stable, affordable power supply that has helped local industries maintain their global competitiveness.

Ma said Taiwan’s nuclear plants have enjoyed a remarkable safety record over the past 35 years. This is evidenced by the country’s sixth-place ranking in terms of unit capacity factor in the latest survey released by the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency.

Following Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster three years ago, the government immediately introduced a new energy policy that will see Taiwan gradually reduce reliance on nuclear power with a goal of becoming nuclear-free, the president said.

“But this goal must be met without electricity rationing, missing targets for carbon emissions cuts or unreasonable rate hikes,” Ma said.

Toward this end, the government decided in April this year to seal the fourth nuclear plant after construction finishes and put the facility’s fate to a referendum.

“It is expected that a consensus will be achieved among all sectors of society,” he said, adding that the government will continue communicating with the public on the matter.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=224898&CtNode=413)