President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of September 25 with a delegation led by World Nuclear Association (WNA) Director General Agneta Rising. The president and the visitors exchanged opinions on a broad range of issues associated with nuclear power and the development of renewable energies.
In remarks, the president noted that Director General Rising is co-founder and former president of Women in Nuclear Global, and has held important positions in the European Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency. She has a wealth of experience and professional expertise, he said. Also in the delegation was Keith Parker, who has been Chief Executive of the UK's Nuclear Industry Association for many years. President Ma pointed out that the UK was the first nation in the world to commission nuclear power plants and is now making a big push to develop renewable energies. He expressed confidence that during their visit in Taiwan his guests would be able to provide valuable professional insights into the relationship between nuclear power and renewable energies.
President Ma further stated that the United States has the most nuclear power plants in the world, with over 100 nuclear power units in use. Delegation member Walter Hill, Senior Director of External Communications at the Nuclear Energy Institute of the US, is a very capable person with a lot of experience in communications, and the president said he is confident that Mr. Hill can do an excellent job of explaining America's nuclear energy policies. Meanwhile, President Ma pointed out that Tomoko Murakami (Group Manager, Nuclear Energy Group, Strategy Research Unit, Institute of Energy Economics, Japan), has long engaged in detailed research of the nuclear power industry. He said that two years ago the Fukushima nuclear accident raised worldwide concerns about the safety of nuclear power, but the Japanese government is now considering allowing the re-commissioning of 48 nuclear power plants throughout Japan, provided that safety can be assured. The thinking behind the policy shift is a matter of great interest throughout the world, the president stated.
President Ma then turned to the state of energy development in Taiwan. He pointed out that Taiwan lacks energy sources of its own and consequently relies on imports for 98% of its energy needs. In addition, as an island, it has an independent power grid, which makes energy security a matter of national security, he said. Coal supplies 41% of Taiwan's energy needs, followed by natural gas (30%) and nuclear energy (18.4%), he stated. Taiwan has three nuclear power plants with a total of six generating units, and is constructing a fourth nuclear power plant with two units. The fourth facility is expected to provide 8% of the nation's power supply.
President Ma commented that at the time of the Fukushima nuclear accident, he was running for a second term in office. It was at that time that he unveiled the foundation for his energy policy—under three principles of "no power rationing, maintaining reasonable power prices, and making good on our pledges to the international community to reduce carbon emissions"—and pledged that Taiwan would "ensure nuclear safety, gradually reduce reliance on nuclear power, and create a green power and low-carbon environment to become a nuclear-free country step by step." The president said that while becoming a "nuclear-free country" is the goal, it cannot be accomplished immediately. In the meantime, Taiwan must develop alternative energy sources to ensure a stable power supply. In addition, he pointed out, scholars and experts have still been unable to provide a clear timetable as to when alternative sources of energy could replace nuclear power here.
President Ma also stated that 31 nations use nuclear power. After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, however, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium adopted timetables for phasing out nuclear power, with timeframes ranging from 11 to 23 years, he said. Some countries continue to develop nuclear power, he remarked. According to data on the WNA's website, there are presently 432 nuclear power units throughout the world, while another 243 units are under construction, on order, or planned, so the role to be played by nuclear power over the coming 20, 30, and 40 years, and whether nuclear power will be replaced by renewable energies, are topics of serious concern in Taiwan, he stated.
In discussions following the president's remarks, WNA Director General Rising noted that nuclear energy accounts for a gradually increasing share of total worldwide power generation. At present, 13 countries are in the process of constructing 68 nuclear power units, and the public is gradually regaining faith in nuclear power, she said. The percentage of people supporting the use of nuclear power has risen back to the level seen before the Fukushima nuclear accident, she added, pointing out that the major reason for this is that nuclear power can reduce carbon emissions and air pollution while creating job opportunities.
Director General Rising also pointed to Sweden as an example, saying that nuclear energy and hydropower each provide half of that's nation's energy needs. In 1980, after the Three Mile Island Accident in the United States in 1979, Sweden held a referendum and it was decided that the country would not build any more new nuclear power plants, she said. Plans were made to close all of the country's existing nuclear power plants by 2010. However, Director General Rising noted, due to the high price and instability of alternative energy sources, Sweden is still building nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, with respect to the processing of high-level nuclear waste, she said, the Swedish government has created a storage tank at a depth of 500 meters underground in bedrock in order to isolate the waste from the surface and to avoid impacting ecosystems.
As for the state of nuclear energy in the UK, Chief Executive Parker stated, the UK's energy mix is similar to that of Taiwan. He said that nuclear power is being developed in the UK to ensure energy security and reduce carbon emissions, and the nation is promoting investment in nuclear power by the private sector. To achieve these goals, the government set forth a two-year period for communication with the public in order to better understand public concerns, and to explain the government's role and the benefits of nuclear power. Ultimately, he said, the government won broad support.
Senior Director Hill also shared the experience of the United States. He stated that the United States was the first nation in the world to operate a nuclear power plant on a commercial basis. Nuclear power provides a stable and inexpensive supply of electricity, and also can reduce carbon emissions, he said. Consequently, political parties and the public support nuclear power, he stated. Mr. Hill also explained that five nuclear power units are presently under construction in the United States. According to a recent public opinion poll, public support for nuclear power has reached 69%, he said. The United States has also been developing shale gas, but due to volatility in natural gas prices, excessive reliance on this energy source is not advisable, he added.
Lastly, Group Manager Murakami explained the reasoning behind the Japanese government's shift from two years ago when it decided to abandon nuclear power. She stressed that nuclear power ensures a stable supply of electricity. Prior to the Fukushima nuclear accident, Japan relied on nuclear power for 26% (300 terawatt-hours) of its electricity. After the nation's nuclear power plants were shut down, however, Japan had to implement power rationing measures and import large quantities of crude oil and natural gas at an enormous economic cost. Consequently, she said, the Japanese government has decided to resume the use of nuclear power.
Also attending the meeting was President Chin Pan (潘欽) of the Chung-Hwa Nuclear Society. The group was escorted to the Presidential Office by Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Woody Tyzz-Jiun Duh (杜紫軍) and Taiwan Power Company Chairman Hwang Jung-Chiou (黃重球) to meet President Ma. Also sitting in on the meeting were Secretary-General to the President Timothy Chin-Tien Yang (楊進添) and National Security Council Advisor Chung Chien (鍾堅).