NRC ADVISING TAIWAN ON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT LICENSE

C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 000999

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/TC AND NP/NE ALEX BURKART
NRC FOR KEVIN BURKE



E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/20/2011
TAGS: ECON ENRG KNNP TW
SUBJECT: NRC ADVISING TAIWAN ON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT LICENSE
EXTENSIONS

REF: TAIPEI 00719

Classified By: DEPUTY DIRECTOR DAVID J. KEEGAN FOR REASONS 1.4 B/D


1. C) U.S.Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensing
experts Kuo Pao-tsin and Kenneth Chang visited Taiwan March
10-20 to advise Taiwan's Atomic Energy Council(AEC) on
license renewal procedures for nuclear power plants (NPP).
According to Chen Yi-Bin, director of AEC's licensing
department, all three NPPs in Taiwan were built before 1985
and are scheduled for license review/renewal. The renewal
process will be handled in the order from the oldest to the
newest plant. First up for renewal is Jinshan built in 1978.
After the Jinshan license is reviewed, Kuosheng and Maanshan
need to complete the process.


2. (C) Chen said the review process could take up to 4 years
to complete and the nuclear power plants need to start the
process at least 10-15 years before the end of their design
life of 40 years is reached. Once the license is renewed the
power plants would be cleared for operation for 20 years
beyond their design life, in accordance with U.S. practice.
Chen said the license renewal process is legally mandated
under Taiwan's nuclear power regulations and AEC has sole
authority to approve.


3. (C) Kuo Pao-tsin, Deputy Director of the NRC's Division of
License renewal told AIT that the staff at AEC had impressive
technical credentials but lacked experience in license
renewals. Kuo is a veteran of the NRC with long experience in
nuclear plant renewals (39 to his credit). Kuo told AIT that
this first re-licensing of Taiwan's three nuclear plants will
be a challenge for the AEC. He said AEC needs to formulate a
plan of action, form teams of experts to handle the technical
aspects and finally develop a sound process to carry out the
detailed license renewal process. Kuo added that every time
AEC sends experts for training in the U.S. he tries to
include a session on plant licensing in their program.


4. (C) Comment. Renewing nuclear plant licenses in Taiwan is
a politically sensitive exercise. One of the basic policies
of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is to pursue
a "nuclear free homeland". When the the DPP came to power in
2000, it started a campaign to cease construction of Taiwan's
fourth nuclear power plant and to decommission the three
operating plants earlier than their planned operational
lives. By 2006, Taiwan has apparently shifted to committing
itself to completing the 4th NPP and is now undertaking a
licensing process to put itself in a position to extend the
operating life of its old plants. Increasing energy prices
and a desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have
contributed to Taiwan's change of heart, but the nuclear
power industry will likely face further obstacles in the
future. End comment
YOUNG