Legislature passes bill extending potential lifespan of nuclear plants

Taipei, May 13 (CNA) Taiwan's Legislative Yuan on Tuesday passed an amendment to the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act that allows nuclear power plant operators to apply for a 20-year license renewal beyond the existing 40-year limit, potentially extending a plant's operating lifespan to 60 years.

Lawmakers from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) proposed the revision in a bid to revive nuclear power as part of Taiwan's energy strategy.

The final vote saw the KMT and TPP push the amendment through with 60 votes in favor, defeating the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) 51 opposing votes.

The renewed operating licenses, if granted, would be valid for up to 20 years from the date they take effect, with the "competent authority" setting the application procedures, required documentation and safety review standards.

The competent authority referred to in the Act is the Atomic Energy Council, which was restructured into an independent agency named the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) on Sept. 27, 2023.

DPP lawmakers opposed the bill over nuclear waste concerns, while KMT and TPP lawmakers said the changes add flexibility and do not guarantee any immediate extension of nuclear operations.

Taiwan was expected to become a "nuclear-free homeland" when the No. 2 Maanshan reactor's license expires later this week.

During interpellation last week, Minister of Economic Affairs Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) said that under the existing law, the No. 2 reactor at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung County must go offline on May 17.

Kuo said power from the reactor would likely be available until the end of May, but that extending the reactor's lifespan and refueling would take at least 16 to 18 months.

In a statement, the National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform condemned the amendment, warning that it could potentially lead to restarting decommissioned reactors, including those at the Jinshan and Kuosheng plants, both located in New Taipei.

Describing the legislative process as a "black box operation," the non-governmental organization accused the KMT and TPP of privately arranging the final version without public scrutiny, and urged the public to mobilize to recall pro-nuclear lawmakers.

In response to the law amendment, the NSC said that if a reactor is to continue operating after its license expires, it will be the facility's operator, Taiwan Power Co., and its supervisor, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, that are required to assess the unit's condition.

This assessment must comply with legal requirements and meet international safety standards, evaluating the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of continued operations before deciding whether to apply for license renewal, the NSC said in a statement.

The commission will review the impact of the amendment on related regulations and ensure the continued enforcement of all nuclear power plant safety oversight measures, it added.

Meanwhile, Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said the amendment is unrelated to the upcoming decommissioning of the Maanshan plant's No.2 reactor, the only reactor currently operational in Taiwan.

She emphasized that the reactor has been in operation for 40 years and reached the end of its service life. "The nation must prioritize public safety," she said, adding that even if there is a need to extend its operation, the government will conduct necessary safety inspections and evaluations.

Since detailed regulations have not yet been formulated following the passage of the amendment, no specific extension evaluation plan is currently in place, Lee said.