Taipei Times
Date: Feb 20, 2016
By: Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter
New Power Party (NPP) Legislator Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) yesterday, on
New Power Party Executive Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, right, gives a handout to Premier Simon Chang as he questions the premier for the first time in the legislature in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
his debut in the legislature, challenged the Minister of Economic Affairs over nuclear waste storage and disposal, and elicited a heated response from the Minister of Labor on the issue of unpaid leave.
Academic and activist-turned-lawmaker Huang had the media’s attention when he asked his first question in the Legislative Yuan.
Huang visited both the Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant and Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City on Thursday and said during yesterday’s session that the Cabinet has no mention of its policy for handling nuclear waste in its policy address, adding that the spent fuel pools at both plants are almost full.
Huang also asked if the government has plans for the nuclear waste after the power plants are decommissioned.
“The Atomic Energy Council said the spent fuel rods could be stored where the plants are located for another 40 years in dry casket facilities, but could the government promise that a place for the final disposal of the nuclear waste will be found in 2055?” Huang asked. [FULL STORY]
