Reactor at 3rd nuclear power plant approved to resume operations

Taipei, June 12 (CNA) The No. 2 reactor at the third nuclear power plant might resume operations on June 16 after obtaining approval from the Atomic Energy Council (AEC) Monday, according to the state-owned Taiwan Power Company (Taipower).

Taipower said it will apply to the AEC on June 14 for the reactor to return to power generation and it is expected to restart operations at full capacity to supply 951,000 kilowatts power, increasing the power reserve by 3 percent.

The No. 2 reactor at the plant in southern Pingtung County was taken offline on April 7 for annual maintenance, which was scheduled to be completed on May 17, but due to accidental damage to a component during the process, the work was delayed.

Taipower applied to the AEC on June 7 for permission to restart the reactor, as the maintenance and repairs were complete.

Taiwan has three active nuclear power plants and six reactors, which provide around 8.1 percent of the country's energy, with two more reactors under construction. Currently, only the No. 1 reactor at the third plant and the No. 1 reactor at the second plant are in operation.

The government has set a goal of decommissioning the three operational nuclear power plants as scheduled and making Taiwan nuclear-free by 2025.

(By Huang Li-yun and Evelyn Kao)ENDITEM/J