Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06AITTAIPEI1381
2006-04-20 08:06:00
CONFIDENTIAL
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Cable title:  

TAIWAN IDENTIFIES FOUR LOW LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE

Tags:  KNNP ENRG SENV TW 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1381 1100806
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 200806Z APR 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9799
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5094
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7786
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 7656
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0025
C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 001381 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/TC; NP/NE FOR ALEX BURKART; NRC FOR I/P KEVIN
BURKE



E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2012
TAGS: KNNP ENRG SENV TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN IDENTIFIES FOUR LOW LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE
DISPOSAL SITES

REF: A. A. TAIPEI 00999


B. B. TAIPEI 0719

C. C. TAIPEI 0686

Classified By: DDIR DAVID J. KEEGAN FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D

C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 001381

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/TC; NP/NE FOR ALEX BURKART; NRC FOR I/P KEVIN
BURKE



E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2012
TAGS: KNNP ENRG SENV TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN IDENTIFIES FOUR LOW LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE
DISPOSAL SITES

REF: A. A. TAIPEI 00999


B. B. TAIPEI 0719

C. C. TAIPEI 0686

Classified By: DDIR DAVID J. KEEGAN FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D


1. C) SUMMARY. Sandia National Lab experts on
nuclear waste disposal are helping Taiwan
plan for long-term disposal of low-level radiation
waste (LLRW). Taiwan has identified four potential
sites for long-term LLRW storage. INER officials are
optimistic that by developing a legal framework covering
LLRW disposal and an aggressive public relations program
they can pave the way for public acceptance of LLRW
disposal sites. END SUMMARY

FOUR NEW LOW LEVEL WASTE SITES IDENTIFIED
--------------


2. SBU) On March 31, Sandia National Labs nuclear waste
expert Jow Hong-nian gave a presentation to INER
(Institute for Nuclear Energy Research) officials on
guidelines for building a LLRW disposal site. Sandia is
providing training to INER on how to conduct a
"post-closure" safety assessment (assessing the safety
of a site long after active control of that site has
ceased) and to help Taiwan meet its schedule to begin
long-term disposal of LLRW. Taiwan's LLRW's are being
stored primarily on site at its nuclear plants with the
exception of the disposal site on Orchid Island.
While this approach is manageable for the short term,
Jow said that in the long term, Taiwan needs to
find a suitable waste disposal site for its estimated
1 million drums of LLRW.


3. C) Jow mentioned INER is considering four new sites:
three in Taitung county along the southeastern coast and
one on Penghu Island in the Taiwan Strait. The Penghu site
would be a shallow land disposal whereas the three
Taitung sites are tunnel-haped and built into hillsides.
Taipower, which runs the nuclear power plants, has
contracted with Chunghsin, an engineering consulting firm,
to do a preliminary site feasibility study on all four
sites. INER will then be expected to do a complete
performance assessment on the results of the study. Jow
also pointed out that under the current guidelines, Taiwan
classifies nuclear waste only into high and low radiation
wastes, but a more comprehensive waste classification
system was needed, such as the four-category system used
in the U.S.

TAIWAN'S WASTE DISPOSAL REGULATIONS NEED LEGAL BACKING
-------------- --------------


4. C) INER consultant Dr. Jia Yee-ping told AIT that
INER has abandoned previous plans to re-locate LLRW's
because of interference by local politicians who
have used the issue for political purposes. He said
that Taiwan had learned from past mistakes, such as
trying to dispose of waste in foreign countries
(DPRK and Cambodia). Jia said LLRW disposal remains
a controversial issue in Taiwan and the not-in-my-back-yard
(NIMBY) mindset is very strong. Consequently, INER believes
Taiwan needs to develop a legal framework that will not be
subject to political whims to find a long term solution to
the nuclear waste disposal problem.


MORE PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS NEEDED
--------------


5. SBU) INER officials believe that Taiwan needs to educate
the public about the safety of nuclear power in order to
overcome the political interference and public protests
that have derailed past attempts to build a permanent
nuclear waste disposal site. INER officials said that
the selection and evaluation process of a disposal site
needs to be transparent, as in Japan, where a LLRW
disposal site has been transformed into an
environmentally friendly place that attracts visitors.


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