Wrong Energy Policy Embarking on Road of No Return

 Wrong Energy Policy Embarking on Road of No Return

China Times Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

March 21, 2018

 Translation of an Excerpt

Two recent events represent where Taiwan’s erroneous energy policy will soon embark on a road of no return. One is that the environmental impact assessment of the Shenao coal-fired power plant forcibly cleared hurdles with construction to be started soon. The Shenao power plant had been decommissioned and dismantled for years; the fact that it’s being rebuilt to generate power generation represents that thermal power will replace nuclear power to be the mainstay of power generation. The second is the fuel rods for Nuclear Power Plant No. 4 will start being sent back to the United States for disposal in June. This represents that it will be difficult to restart Nuclear Power Plant No. 4; it also represents that the two reactors with a capacity of 2.7 million kWh costing nearly NT$300 billion to build will soon rest in peace without even generating a single kWh. What has been squandered is not only the NT$300 billion, it includes the spending of tens of billions of NT dollars needed for the dismantling of the nuclear power plant. These are the taxpayers’ hard-earned money.

If the Tsai government insists on the comprehensive abandonment of nuclear power, one of two outcomes can be foreseen: The first is that Taiwan will succumb to power shortages, power rationing by districts will become the norm, industries will move out, investments will no longer be made, leading to set-backs in the economy. The other is that a stable power supply could still be maintained but without a doubt the mainstay will come from thermal power, pollution emissions of the whole island will increase as a result; people’s quality of life will deteriorate, and blue skies will be difficult to find in Taiwan. No matter which outcome happens, it will be a disaster for Taiwan.

The anti-nuclear movement in Taiwan has its historical background, with even dense Blue-Green political factors. However, power shortages, air pollution, and other the negative factors caused by the anti-nuclear movement have gradually become obvious since the Tsai government took office, and social support has dropped significantly. This could be seen from the record low number of participants in the anti-nuclear march this year. For the benefit of Taiwan’s future, the Tsai government should face this reality honestly, telling the public in a professional and responsible manner the price and cost of the nuclear-free policy. If society still supports the nuclear-free policy across the board, then continue walking down the path; if not, it should pragmatically revise the policy.

At this crucial juncture that Taiwan’s energy policy will soon embark on the road of no return, we can only offer one word of advice and hope that the Tsai government will not ruin the future of Taiwan’s next generation!

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