There are currently 6 reactors operating at 3 sites. These generate some 28% of Taiwan's electricity, but this proportion is expected to decrease in the next 10 years, due to an increase in the use of thermal power generators. The government announced in February 1992 that plans to develop a fourth site, at Kungliao, which had been delayed for 6 years by public opposition, were being revived. There have been serious demonstrations at the site, especially in October 1991, when a policeman was killed. All Taiwan's reactors are at risk from earthquakes, volcanic activity and typhoon damage. Debris from major storms often block reactor cooling water inlets.

Since 1968, the Atomic Energy Council (AEC) has been the sole organisation in charge of peaceful use of atomic energy. After the first reactor was commissioned in 1978 by the Taiwan Power Company (TPC), the Radwaste Administration (RWA) was set up as an AEC subsidiary in 1981. The RWA had 2 responsibilities, to act as a regulatory body of radwaste management in general and as operator of the Lan-Yu shallow disposal site (see below). Radwaste from non generating sources is sent to the Centre of Nuclear Energy Research(INER) for treatment, generally cementation or bituminisation, prior to transfer to Lan-Yu.

In 1990 the Taiwan government issued the Radwaste Management Guidelines (RWMG) which assigned waste producers responsibilities to condition, transport, store and dispose of their own wastes and to pay all the relevant expenses. The RWA will now act as a regulatory body only. Under the RWMG, management of Lan-Yu was be transferred to TPC, which will carry out the waste disposal programme.

LOW LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES

As mentioned, these wastes are currently placed in shallow engineered trenches on an offshore tropical islet called Lan-Yu, which has been in operation since 1982. The capacity of the first phase of this is 100,000 drums, and was expected to be full by 1993. It is proposed to increase the capacity by 100%, with up to 500,000 drum capacity ultimately available, and likely to last until 2000 only. Approx. 10,000 drums of LLW are generated annually.

The RWMG originally set a target year of 1996 for disposal of all wastes currently stored at Lan-Yu, though this has now slipped to 2002. Feasibility of land disposal is being assessed by the RWA and TPC. Options currently include an engineered structure on an islet, tunnels in the mountain near a power plant and tunnels to the seabed near a power plant (the POWER system). The process for selecting the replacement repository site was originally divided into 3 Phases, but due to public opposition the siting came to a halt in mid 1994. The original 3-Phase site selection process consisted of selection of candidate site and disposal technology (Phase 1; originally expected to continue until end- 1995), preparation of an Environmental Impact Assessment (Phase-2; originally scheduled to be completed by September 1995), and detailed site characterisation (Phase-3; originally scheduled to run from October 1995 until March 1999).

In the meantime, TPC has been exploring possibilities of exporting Taiwan's radioactive waste problem for disposal abroad. Ever since about 1990 there have been stories and rumours concerning the possibility that Taiwan and China might cooperate in the development of a joint L/ILW repository on the Chinese mainland. Discussions were said to have begun on a more formal basis in 1993, although it was also claimed, in May 1994, that Taiwan was about to conclude a similar deal with Russia. Unofficial contacts are continuing with China, Russia and more recently, the government of the Marshall Islands, who have approached other Asian countries with a proposal to develop a commercial facility.

In absence of a new disposal facility, two new nuclear waste storage centres have opened in northern Taiwan, according to the Atomic Energy Council (AEC). Officials say that the two new storage centres will be used for nuclear waste, as well as biomedical, agricultural and industrial waste products, which comprise up to 12% of the wastes previously sent to Lan-Yu.

HIGH LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL

By the year 2040, between 5-10,000 MtU of spent fuel are expected to require management. It has yet to be finally decided whether to reprocess this or not. Current plans envisage some form of interim storage prior to final disposal, in a facility to be commissioned before 1999. Up to end-October 1992, there were some 1239 MT U in fuel storage pools at the 3 reactor sites.

Theoretical investigations began in 1986, when Taipower began a Two Phase Project. Phase One lasted 2 years, and assessed the suitability of all areas and rock types in Taiwan. As a result of this investigation, several areas of mainland Taiwan were considered potentially suitable for further investigation.

These areas are:

a) the plastic, impermeable and thick Neogene shales and mudstones.

b) the metamorphosed rocks of the stable and shallow stratigraphic highs of the Mesozoic basement of the Penghu Island Group and the area close to the western coast of Taiwan.

c) the highly silicified and impermeable quartzite of the Palaeogene Szeling Formation.

d) the stable Mesozoic granitic gneisses of Kinmen and Matsu Islands. (Both islands are however military frontiers with mainland China).

The second Phase of the project, also lasting 2 years, was completed in October 1990. Phase Two produced an integrated development plan for all stages of the waste management system; carried out preliminary geological investigation in crystalline, basalt, shale and mudstone areas; and formulated area selection criteria for further detailed, area specific, study.

In 1990, the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER), the Central Geological Survey (CGS) and the Energy and Resources Laboratory (ERL) agreed to commission a repository by 2032. The program accomodating this effort is divided into 7 phases:

1. Area investigation (1990-2000)
2. Preliminary site investigation (2000-2005)
3. Site investigation (2006-2008)
4. Site characterisation (2009-2015)
5. Site approval and licencing (2016-2021)
6. Repository construction and testing (2022-2031)
7. Operation (2032-)