00:01Less than a year after Taiwan decommissioned its last nuclear power plant and a nationwide
00:06referendum voted to stay away from the energy source, authorities have now announced a plan
00:11for its return. Tai Power, the state-owned electric company responsible for the proposal,
00:17says it will submit a detailed report on what it needs to restart the reactors
00:21while it goes through safety checks.
00:34The economy minister has pledged to get the plant back online as early as 2028.
00:40The lawmakers are questioning the target.
00:54In the Nuclear Safety Commission, which oversees the process,
00:57says it's hard to set a date until Tai Power submits all the required documents.
01:16With the war in the Middle East impacting global oil supplies,
01:20people in Taiwan are growing anxious about energy security.
01:23And although nuclear power remains a divisive issue,
01:27the conflict has reignited discussions over its use.
01:31I think short term is restart the nuclear reactors,
01:34you won't have a huge dependency on oil anymore.
01:36The sooner you start it, the better.
01:38Like even if the oil starts flowing today,
01:41you restart the nuclear reactors in two years, you won't be as dependent on it.
01:44Some also point to Taiwan's high energy needs.
01:59Still others call for a more cautious approach.
02:18It's only the beginning of a long road back to nuclear power.
02:22Authorities say they'll sort out where to store spent fuel in the meantime,
02:26and they'll hold talks with the communities living near the plant
02:29to answer concerns locals may have.
02:32But without a clear timeline for the plant's comeback,
02:35it may be a drawn-out waiting game.
02:37Alex Chen and Irene Lin for Taiwan Plus.
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