Nuclear power in Taiwan

Nuclear Power in Taiwan

Briefing Paper # 114

July 2007

Taiwan has six nuclear power reactors operating and two advanced reactors are under construction.

On Taiwan imports account for 95% of the energy, and are vital to the rapidly industrialising economy. Electricity demand is growing at almost 5% per year. Nuclear power has been a significant part of the electricity supply for two decades and now provides almost 40% of base load and 20% overall, though nuclear comprises only 14% of 36.3 GWe installed capacity. Coal-fired plants comprise 25% of capacity and in 2006 delivered 33% of the power. LNG provide 12% of the power. Total power delivered in 2005 was 191 billion kWh. In 2014 nuclear power is expected to contribute 21% of 276 billion kWh.

Operating Taiwan nuclear power reactors

Units	type	MWe net each	Start up*
Chinshan1 & 2	BWR	604	1978, 79
Kuosheng 1 & 2	BWR	948	1981, 83
Maanshan 1 & 2	PWR	890	1984, 85
total (6)		4884 MWe

* dates are for start of commercial operation.

The three nuclear plants comprise four General Electric boiling water reactors and two Westinghouse pressurised water reactors. Construction of the first unit began in 1972. They are all operated by the utility Taipower, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and are expected to have 40-year lifetimes.

There are two 1350 MWe Advanced Boiling Water Reactors under construction at Lungmen, near Taipei. They were scheduled for commercial operation in mid 2006 and mid 2007, but current estimates suggest 2010. Initial bids to supply the units on a turnkey basis were rejected, and contacts were awarded to GE for the nuclear reactors, Mitsubishi for the turbines and others for the rest. Construction began in 1999.

When the two reactors were one third complete a new cabinet cancelled the project but work resumed the following year later after legal appeal and a government resolution in favour. The project was thus put well behind, but is now proceeding without hindrance. In May 2007 the project was 64% complete.

Nuclear output on Taiwan is very cost competitive at US$ 1.89 cents/kWh in 2006 now that the six reactors have been depreciated. Average generation cost was 4.8 c/kWh in 2006, with coal-fired generation US$ 3.1 cents/kWh, and LNG US$ 8.46 cents/kWh. During their first ten years of operation the Lungmen reactors are expected to generate at US$ 3.8 cents/kWh.

Fuel cycle & wastes

All materials and services are imported, including 850,000 SWU of enrichment.

A low-level radioactive waste storage facility is operated on Lan-Yu island by Taipower.

Policy for used fuel is direct disposal, though reprocessing is under consideration. Dry storage for Chinshan and Kuosheng will be needed. A geological repository is planned for 2032 operation.

Research & Development

There are four research reactors in operation on Taiwan, ranging up to 2.8 MW. TRR, a 40 MW heavy water reactor, was shut down in 1987 and was to be redesigned as a light water reactor. Two small research reactors are shut down and decommissioning.

Organisation

The Atomic Energy Council (AEC) consists of representatives from relevant government ministries. The Radwaste Administration is a subsidiary body and is regulator in respect to radioactive wastes. The Nuclear Regulatory Division is also part of the AEC, as is the Radiation Protection Division. The AEC is also responsible for safeguards.

The Atomic Energy Law came in to force in 1968 and various regulations have been promulgated under it.

Non-proliferation

All nuclear facilities on Taiwan are subject to a non-governmental safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and all fall under full safeguards.

Taiwan signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968 and ratified it but after 1971 the People's Republic of China replaced Taiwan in the NPT and the IAEA. In terms of such treaties and organisations, and for those countries which adhere to a one-China Policy, Taiwan does not exist as an independent state. The USA recognises Taiwan as an independent state and has state to state relations with it. Taiwan has a unique status. Nuclear safeguards are applied in Taiwan under a trilateral agreement between Taiwan, the USA and the IAEA.

Thus the IAEA applies safeguards in Taiwan to all nuclear material and nuclear facilities as if it were an NPT non-nuclear-weapon state Party; it conducts regular inspections including Additional Protocol verification activities.

Main References:
IAEA 2003 Country profiles.

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