Nuclear Reactivation Referendum Debates Kick Off

TaiwanPlus News

Before Taiwan voters decide whether to reactivate one of its shut-down nuclear power plants, five televised debates will be held, with energy security dominating the first debate on Thursday.

Transcript

00:00People in Taiwan have a big decision ahead of them whether to reactivate one of its shut down

00:05nuclear power plants. Before the referendum, there will be five televised debates, with the

00:10first one held today. Representing the pro-reactivation side, nuclear engineering professor

00:15Ye Zongguang has been a firm advocate for using nuclear energy as a way to buy the country more

00:20time to transition into renewables. He believes nuclear power, which generates nearly zero

00:26carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas, is a cleaner and cheaper alternative, and more importantly,

00:31a more stable energy source than the current leading sources, natural gas and coal. And

00:37supplies will last longer in the event that China tries to blockade the country.

00:56On the anti-side is Taiwan Power Company Chair Zeng Wenxin. He rebutts Ye's argument, saying

01:03Tai Power has built enough new generators to meet the country's electricity demands. The question

01:08on the referendum ballot includes the necessary safety checks and safety checks.

01:12On the anti-side is Taiwan Power Company Chair Zeng Wenxin. He rebuts Ye's argument, saying

01:17Tai Power has built enough new generators to meet the country's electricity demands. The question

01:22on the referendum ballot includes the necessary safety checks that will be done by the Atomic

01:27Energy Council before the plant will be reactivated. But Zeng stresses that these safety checks

01:32are not 100% accurate, and that no public vote should take place until professional inspections

01:37are done.

01:38This topic in this topic, the most important thing is to make sure that the safety checks

01:45are not 100% accurate. How do we do this?

01:50How do we do this?

01:51Any nuclear power supply chain to ensure the time that it is required for the use of the

01:56maintenance, the time that it is required to be required to be required to be required to be required to be required to be required.

02:03is that after the study of science,

02:07we will send all the information and evidence of the people

02:12and the people to make decisions.

02:16Each speaker got to speak twice, each for 12 minutes.

02:19Neither spoke directly about nuclear waste management or health concerns.

02:24The next four debates will air every other day until August 15th.

02:27With the nuclear issue escalating into a political one,

02:30today's debate between an academic and a professional

02:33may turn the focus back on Taiwan's ability to power itself during a possible crisis.

02:38Patrick Chen and Irene Lin in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.

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