President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of January 31 with the former president of France's Nuclear Safety Authority Andre-Claude Lacoste. During the meeting, the president emphasized that the government has adopted the highest standards for nuclear power safety here and is also actively instituting measures to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions, with the goal of gradually reducing reliance on nuclear power.
In remarks, President Ma noted that France is a nuclear power giant with a comprehensive and well thought-out nuclear safety management system, and former President Lacoste is renowned in the world nuclear power safety community. In welcoming Mr. Lacoste and Isabelle Forest, the deputy director of the Nuclear Safety Authority's International Relations Department, to Taiwan, he said this visit offers a rare opportunity for the two guests and their counterparts in Taiwan to interact and discuss topics associated with nuclear power safety.
The president stated that France is the world's leader in nuclear power generation technology, and the share of nuclear power in its energy mix is the highest in the world. The volume of nuclear power generation there, its outstanding record in nuclear safety, and the level of public support for nuclear power in France have made it the envy of other advanced nations. President Ma commented that after the accident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station two years ago, France's Green Party and Socialist Party stepped up their opposition to nuclear power. More recently, newly installed French President Francois Hollande has pledged to gradually reduce France's reliance on nuclear power, and last November launched a six-month national debate on energy. At the same time, France's new government has formulated a "2050 Energy Mix" policy that calls for reduced dependence on nuclear energy, he said. In light of this new trend, Taiwan, the president remarked, is very interested in hearing Mr. Lacoste's views on France's new nuclear policy, and on how a nuclear safety regulatory agency can play a more effective role.
In discussing Taiwan's energy policy, President Ma pointed out that Taiwan is surrounded on all four sides by water and relies on imports for over 99% of its energy needs. Consequently, Taiwan faces more energy policy challenges than other nations. In particular, energy policy is closely linked to economic development, the public wellbeing, and environmental protection, said President Ma, adding that calls for energy conservation and a reduction in carbon emissions have increased over the past 20 years. He furthermore remarked that the government's policies must take many factors into consideration.
President Ma emphasized that "there can be no nuclear power unless there is nuclear safety." The government has adopted the strictest nuclear power safety standards, he said, pointing out that after the nuclear incident in Fukushima in March 2011, Taiwan carried out a comprehensive safety examination of its currently operating First, Second, and Third Nuclear Power Plants. These tests examined the ability of these plants to implement contingency plans in the event of earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as measures to protect workers. The review also included a detailed analysis of overall operational safety. The president explained that clear guidelines were laid out for steps to be taken in the event of an accident in an effort to strengthen the ability of the nuclear power plants and government authorities to maintain safety. France's advanced experience in nuclear power generation can help Taiwan ensure safe operations at its nuclear power plants, he added.
The president furthermore stated that on November 3, 2011 he convened a press conference to discuss energy policy. At that event, he announced that the vision for Taiwan's energy development requires that we "ensure nuclear safety, gradually reduce reliance on nuclear power, and create a green power and low-carbon environment to gradually become a nuclear-free country." In addition, the president said, under the three major principles of "no power rationing, maintaining reasonable power prices, and making good on our pledges to the international community to reduce carbon emissions," the government will implement proactive measures to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in order to gradually reduce reliance on nuclear energy. As for the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, which is currently under construction, the government will ask the proper agencies to carry out an even more comprehensive and strict testing process prior to its formal commissioning, he noted. The president stated that supervisory mechanisms at all levels of the government, along with inspection assessments by impartial international institutions, will be applied at the plant to ensure that every aspect conforms to the "safety first" principle and the plant will operate stably.
President Ma also told the visitors that due to the ROC's unique international status, it faces quite a few obstacles in its international relations. In light of this, the government last year carried out stress tests at its nuclear power plants using rigorous methods based on specifications formulated by the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG), he said. The results were compiled into a national report, the president remarked, and this document has already been endorsed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Nuclear Energy Agency. This body has agreed to send a team of experts to Taiwan to peer-review the report, the president said. At the same time, the government attaches great importance to the national safety assessments of European Union (EU) nations. At present, he added, Taiwan is coordinating with related agencies of the EU to invite ENSREG experts to Taiwan. President Ma also asked Mr. Lacoste to provide appropriate support and assistance in future cooperation on nuclear power safety between Taiwan and the EU.
The president stated that the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Convention on Nuclear Safety, in the Main Conclusions of the 2nd Extraordinary Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Nuclear Safety on August 31 of last year, encouraged international cooperation through the IAEA and networks of regulators, operators, and technical support organizations, to share information on the lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident. This initiative was aimed at enhancing the safety of nuclear power, he noted. The sharing of nuclear safety information, the president stated, has become an important topic in the nuclear power safety management mechanisms of countries around the world, adding that Taiwan is willing to share its experiences with others in this regard. However, since Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations, it frequently faces restrictions in the sharing of nuclear safety information. President Ma mentioned that former President Lacoste will serve as the chair of the sixth Convention on Nuclear Safety to be held next year, and expressed hope that Mr. Lacoste will provide appropriate support to enable Taiwan to participate in IAEA-affiliated nuclear safety conferences and events. President Ma also reminded the international community that "nuclear safety knows no borders." Each nation must pursue cooperation and interaction with counterparts to ensure nuclear safety throughout the world, he said.
Lastly, President Ma stated that former President Lacoste headed France's nuclear safety oversight system for over 20 years and has successfully managed the safe commissioning of over 50 nuclear reactors. The president expressed hope that Mr. Lacoste on his stay in Taiwan will provide valuable suggestions with respect to how the government within its administrative framework can create an effective and independent nuclear power safety regulatory organization and how the public can participate in the supervision of the safe operation of nuclear power plants.
The visitors were accompanied to the Presidential Office by French Office in Taipei Director Olivier Richard to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting were Atomic Energy Council Minister Tsai Chuen-Horng (蔡春鴻) and National Security Council Advisor Chung Chien (鍾堅).