Volcanic pumice originating in the Ogasawara Islands of Japan has drifted to Taiwan’s north coast, and both maritime authorities and the Atomic Energy Council are taking precautions. Eruptions in the Micronesian island group, which includes Iwo Jima, began on August 13, producing enormous drifts of the floating stones that began to clog ports in Okinawa and other parts of Japan last month. See previous story: Volcanic activity, seismic shifts: WWII ships from Battle of Iwo Jima raised from watery graves
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Taipower reveals new safety features after nuclear power plant emergency shutdown leaves operators red-faced
A group of legislators visited the Guosheng Nuclear Power Plant in New Taipei City’s Wanli District yesterday, to learn how merely moving a chair caused a shutdown last month, and to review measures taken to ensure it won’t happen again. In an embarrassing comedy of errors that citizens on social media compared to something out of The Simpsons, Taiwan’s number two nuclear power plant went into emergency shutdown at 6:33 am, July 27, after an employee pushed a wheeled office
Read moreNuclear Reactor Offline Again After Power Trip
The second reactor at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung county was shutdown as a safety precaution this morning after a water pump in the cooling system tripped. The reactor came back online last month after undergoing annual maintenance. The reactor was taken offline in April and was originally expected to be restarted in May. However, accidental damage to a component led to a one month delay. The reactor provides 2.7% of Taiwan’s national power supply of 36 million
Read moreNuclear Power Plant Firefighters Threaten Strike over Unpaid Wages
[Cover picture: Liberty Times Network] Firefighters at Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant (3rd Nuclear) (馬鞍山核能發電廠 or 核三) in Pingtung County, Taiwan have threatened to strike after two months in three of unpaid wages. Local residents expressed concern about safety at the nuclear power plant after the 45 first responders to any emergency incident at the plant were left unpaid for December and February. Liberty Times Network
Read moreChina Lags in Nuclear Waste Disposal
Chinese scholars held a conference yesterday, October 15, to discuss the issue of nuclear power. It was admitted that China lagged behind India when it came to disposal, or reprocessing of nuclear waste. According to reports cited by Liberty Times Network, China’s first commercial reactor began operations in 1991. About 1,000 tons of nuclear waste is produced annually, and 10,000 tons of radioactive waste is now in storage. Liberty Times cites China’s Science and Technology Daily, who said the nation
Read moreTaiwan’s Oldest Nuclear Reactor May Be Restarted: If Safe…
The premier of Taiwan said he supported restarting the first reactor at the Jinshan Nuclear Power Plant, if it is safe to do so. The comments were made Sunday June 5, as Taiwan faces a power crisis caused by limited supply and high demand, as the nation cranks up air-conditioners to cope with record high temperatures for June. Problems with the reactor, at Taiwan’s oldest nuclear power plant caused it to be shut down for maintenance in December 2014. The
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