Mothballed Taiwan nuclear power plant's safety check could take years: Minister

Taipei, Dec. 1 (CNA) Taiwan's Economics Minister on Monday gave no guarantee that the decommissioned No. 3 Nuclear Power Plant could restart generating electricity as soon as 2028, saying that the required safety inspections by the nation's nuclear safety regulator could take 18 months to six years.

Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) made the comments during a Legislative session when asked by an opposition lawmaker if the Pingtung-based Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant, also known as No. 3 Power Plant, could resume operation as early as 2028, once it passes required safety checks, as reported by local media.

Kung's ministry announced last week that the state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) is expected to submit a plan for restarting Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant and the Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei, also known as the No. 2 Power Plant, to the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) by March 2026 for review.

Safety inspections at the Maanshan plant will require peer review and assistance from the original manufacturer, a process expected to take about one and a half to two years to complete, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said in a statement on Friday.

Based on the MOEA's statement, several local media reported over the weekend that the No. 3 power plant could resume operation as early as late 2027 or in 2028.

Asked to comment on the predictions, Kung told lawmakers on Monday that it is true that in the best-case scenario, the decommissioned Maanshan plant could be restarted in 2028 "if everything goes smoothly" with the plant passing safety inspections in one and a half years.

However, the inspections could take as long as five to six years, Kung said, citing similar checks on decommissioned plants in other countries.

Kung also said he did not know how long it would take for the NSC to conduct safety reviews.

"Our top priority is to make sure it is safe [for the power plant to restart]," he added.

The No. 2 reactor at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant, Taiwan's last operational nuclear reactor, was shut down on May 17 this year.

The MOEA's evaluation report was carried out in response to amendments to the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act passed in May, which provide a legal basis for continuing to operate nuclear power plants even after they have entered the decommissioning stage.