Taiwan unveils plan to process nuclear waste overseas for first time

Taiwan has unveiled a US$356 million plan to process nuclear waste overseas for the first time as its power plants approach capacity, sparking criticism from environmental groups.

The state-run Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) opened bidding yesterday for 1,200 used fuel rods used in the island’s first and second nuclear plants to be processed abroad.

The two plants, which currently store the spent fuel rods, were launched in 1978 and 1981 and will each be decommissioned once they have been operational for 40 years.

But Taipower has said it may be forced to shut down or decommission the plants earlier than scheduled as they are reaching storage capacity for spent nuclear fuel.

Some environmental groups accused Taipower of trying to extend the operations of the two plants even though they are set to be decommissioned.

“We strongly protest the plan. It’s absurd to send the fuel rods abroad to be reprocessed since Taiwan is no longer building nuclear power plants,” said the National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform.

“It’s clear that Taipower is in a rush to ship the nuclear waste abroad because the first nuclear power plant will be shut down if it fails to do so, which will mean that its plan to push for extended operation of the plant will fall through.”