"Oppose the reactivation of the Ma-anshan Factory: various organizations"
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, Taiwan's oldest operational nuclear facility, faces significant safety concerns as it approaches the end of its 40-year service life. This issue has sparked debates and concerns among environmental groups, public health experts, and political forces.
In a recent news conference, Pingtung County Oversight Nuclear Safety Commission member He Li-wei highlighted the plant's documented safety concerns and incidents throughout its service life, posing health risks for workers and the public. These risks include radiation exposure, fuel rod damage, cooling water leaks, and associated health problems like increased cancer rates.
He Li-wei, who holds a doctorate in nuclear engineering from Iowa State University, emphasised that nuclear power plants run the highest risk of safety at both their early and late stages of operation. This means that the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, having reached or exceeded its originally planned operational lifespan, raises questions about its continued structural and mechanical integrity.
The Crystal River Nuclear Plant in Florida serves as a cautionary tale. In 2009, the structure of the plant was damaged during an attempt to remove and replace its steam generators, leading to a total maintenance cost of over US$3 billion and eventually the plant's shutdown. He Li-wei warns that the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant might repeat the same mistake.
Civic groups have urged the public to vote against reactivating the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in the upcoming nuclear referendum on Aug. 23. They argue that restarting the plant poses unacceptable risks to public safety and the environment, especially given the plant's operational lifetime is at its end and considering the psychological and social impacts witnessed in past nuclear disasters like Fukushima.
Lee Kuei-lin, a retired Taiwan Power Co employee, shares these concerns. He worked for many years at highly radioactive zones at the Jinshan and Guosheng Nuclear Power Plants but was not provided with sufficient training and protection against radiation. As a result, he has been suffering from radiation-related occupational injuries since 1980. Lee stresses that restarting a power plant is not only an energy policy choice, but a life-and-death challenge.
Despite these concerns, a referendum pushing for the restart of the Ma-anshan-2 reactor reflects Taiwan's complex political and energy dynamics. The decision to restart is intertwined with political debates rather than purely technical assessments, complicating consensus on safety and risk tolerance.
In light of these concerns, experts and advocacy groups call for comprehensive safety upgrades, rigorous independent inspections, and risk mitigation measures before any decision is made regarding the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant's future. They believe that restarting the plant without these measures would likely be considered unsafe.
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- Given the documented safety concerns and incidents at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, such as radiation exposure, fuel rod damage, and cooling water leaks, there are valid health-and-wellness concerns for both plant workers and the public.
- As the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant faces questions about its continued structural and mechanical integrity due to entering or exceeding its originally planned operational lifespan, it is imperative that science-backed safety upgrades, rigorous independent inspections, and risk mitigation measures are implemented to ensure the plant's long-term health and wellness impact is minimized.
