TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan People's Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je criticized his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) opponent, Lai Ching-te, on Tuesday (Dec. 26), accusing him of avoiding the nuclear energy debate and lacking long-term planning.
During their second policy presentation, Ko expressed concern that Lai's commitment to a nuclear-free homeland by 2025 might cost him votes, particularly from the business sector.
Ko argued that, based on surveys, there needed to be more flexibility in Lai's position, despite the introduction of measures in May to maintain nuclear facilities in an emergency-ready state. He questioned whether nuclear power could be switched on and off at will.
In addition, Ko criticized his Kuomintang rival, Hou Yu-ih, for policies that he claimed hindered the operation of dry storage facilities at the first and second nuclear plants. This has led to a deadlock, as spent fuel rods cannot be removed from reactors in New Taipei City under Hou's administration.
Reiterating his stance, Ko expressed support for extending the service lives of nuclear plants two and three and called for a comprehensive assessment of plant four before making a decision on the next steps.
Ko emphasized the need for a pragmatic approach to nuclear power, rather than treating the idea of a nuclear-free homeland as an ideology. He also highlighted the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, noting that 22 nations proposed a threefold increase in nuclear power by COP28.