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Taiwan Prepares Nuclear Safety Drill Ahead of Restart Referendum

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By TaiwanPlus

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Taiwan is gearing up for its annual nuclear safety drill at the decommissioned Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei. Designed to evaluate multi-layered emergency responses, this year’s exercise incorporates threat scenarios including drone strikes and maritime supply deliveries during earthquake-damaged road closures. The exercise comes amid renewed debates as President Lai Ching-te endorses plans to potentially reactivate the plant, subject to review by the Nuclear Safety Commission and an upcoming public referendum on nuclear power.

Nuclear Safety Drill Preparation

Taiwan is gearing up for this year’s annual nuclear safety drill ahead of a public vote that could bring back nuclear power.

The drill will take place at the Kuosheng nuclear power plant in New Taipei and include a new drone attack scenario. It will also practice delivering supplies by sea for when roads are cut off by an earthquake. This comes as President Lai Ching-te endorses plans to restart the Kuosheng plant.

Wang Chung-der (SECRETARY GENERAL, NUCLEAR SAFETY COMMISSION):  
This nuclear safety drill is designed to test a plant’s emergency response and their redundancy capabilities. It also tests local government response plans. We haven’t received Kuosheng Nuclear Power Plant’s restarting plan.

REPORTER:  
Taiwan’s state-owned electric utility Taipower says it’s preparing a restart plan to submit to regulators, who are already reviewing a plan for another plant in the south of the country.