Atomic Energy Minister Attends Interpellation 原能會主委張靜文首備詢 聚焦日排核廢水

On March 1, Atomic Energy Minister Chang Ching-wen attended her first legislative interpellation since joining the Cabinet. Legislators asked her about Japan's dumping of radioactive wastewater into the sea and whether small modular reactors are suitable for Taiwan. 

Atomic Energy Minister Chang Ching-wen attended her first interpellation before the legislature's Education and Culture Committee since joining the Cabinet. She acknowledged that it would be hard not to be nervous. The first legislator to quiz Chang was the KMT's Wan Mei-ling, and she came out firing. Wan asked Chang about Japan's dumping of radioactive wastewater from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea and how all the information Taiwan has is supplied by Japan.

Wan Mei-ling, Legislator (KMT): “It's completely obvious that your so-called "active gathering of information" is actively waiting for them to give us information, actively waiting for them to organize videoconferences, and actively waiting for them to give us an explanation. This really is quite lamentable.”

The Atomic Energy Council said Japan has delayed the dumping of wastewater containing Tritium until the summer, and it will take a year to a year and a half to reach the waters surrounding Taiwan. Meanwhile, KMT Legislator Cheng Cheng-chien asked Chang to say where she stands on the issue of dumping wastewater containing Tritium into the sea.

Chang Ching-wen, Atomic Energy Minister: “I of course stand on the side of upholding environmental sanitation and public health protection, and I don't expect or hope this thing will happen.”

Independent Legislator Huang Kuo-shu asked if small modular reactors are safer and more suitable to install inside science parks. He said he hopes the AEC can draw up related legislation. Chang responded the AEC isn't in charge of the national energy policy.

Chang Ching-wen, Atomic Energy Minister: “The authority in charge of the ways and principles of the feasibility of nuclear energy generation is the Ministry of Economic Affairs.”

Chang's predecessor was dismissed by the Executive Yuan after a sexual harassment scandal, and the legislature asked the AEC to enhance gender awareness. The AEC said related points have already been revised and complaints about the minister should be raised with the Executive Yuan. It has also expanded the whistleblower protection mechanism.

新任原能會主委張靜文，首次到立法院教文委員會備詢，她坦言難免緊張，首位質詢她的國民黨立委萬美玲火力全開，針對原能會因應福島含氚廢水排放，只能接收日方提供的資訊，連番質疑。

國民黨立委萬美玲質詢說道：「很清楚嘛，你的所謂主動蒐集，是主動去等他給我們資料，主動去等他開了視訊會議，主動去等他怎麼來跟我們說明，聽起來真的非常的可悲。」

原能會說明，含氚廢水將延至夏季排放，排放後預估1年到1年半抵達台灣周邊海域。而國民黨立委鄭正鈐要求她表態，是否贊成含氚廢水排放？

原能會主委張靜文表示：「當然站在環境衛生民眾的健康的保障上，是不期待也不希望這個事情的發生。」

無黨籍立委黃國書關切，小型模組反應器SMR是否更安全，更適合設置在科學園區？希望原能會研議制定相關法規，張主委多次強調國家能源政策非原能會主管。

原能會主委張靜文回應無黨籍立委黃國書：「核能發電的發電業用什麼方式，以什麼原則、可不可行，這個主管機關是在經濟部。」

而針對前主委謝曉星，因性別騷擾案遭行政院免職，立院要求原能會提升性別意識，原能會表示，相關要點已經完成修正，若涉及主委，應向行政院提出申訴，另外也增訂吹哨者保護機制。