Operation of Taiwan's Nuclear Power Plant to Be DelayedThe controversial fourth nuclear power plant in Taiwan will not become operational until the summer of 2005, a Taiwanese media reported Wednesday.The construction of the plant will be restarted, ending the more than three-month standoff between the local "executive" and " legislative branches" over the project, scrapped in late October last year, the Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) was cited as saying. The 110-day hiatus in the construction timetable of the plant in Kungliao, Taipei County, will result in a delay of at least a year in the operational status, even at the most optimistic estimate, the company said. Taipower noted the first reactor of the plant was originally scheduled to be completed by July 2004 and the second reactor to be completed by July 2005, to accommodate the peak summer demand, but added that the schedule had been delayed until December 2004 and December 2005, respectively. As power demand peaks in the summer, the company said the completion of the reactor in the winter will have no real effect on the power supply and in fact will not be useful until the following year. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |