VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1230/01 2880737
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 150737Z OCT 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2491
INFO RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0108
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC

C O N F I D E N T I A L AIT TAIPEI 001230 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE ALSO FOR EAP/TC, ISN/FO RSTRATFORD AND ISN/NESS 
ABURKART, DOE FOR EMCGINNIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2019 
TAGS: SENV ECON PARM ENERG KNNP TRGY FR TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN RESPONSE TO ADVANCED REACTOR RESEARCH 
INQUIRY 
 
REF: A. STATE 103610 
     ¶B. TAIPEI 1077 
     ¶C. TAIPEI 487 
 
Classified By: Deputy Director Eric Madison for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
. 
 
¶1. (U)  This message is a response to Ref A action request. 
 
¶2. (C)  SUMMARY: Taiwan has no official programs in the field 
of advanced nuclear reactor research, and nuclear officials 
here are cool to the prospects of Generation IV reactor 
technology to play any role in Taiwan's nuclear industry for 
at least the next twenty years.  However, National Tsing-Hua 
University has been carrying out Generation IV research 
programs on the Molten Salt Reactor and Very High Temperature 
Reactor for approximately one year now through a budget 
funded by the National Science Council.  Nuclear officials 
believe the true value of the Tsing-Hua program is to provide 
training for the island's next generation of nuclear 
engineers.  These same officials were pleased with the 
results of Taiwan's 2009 National Energy Conference, which 
they feel ensured nuclear power would continue to play an 
important role in meeting Taiwan's energy needs.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (C) ESTH officers met with Atomic Energy Council Planning 
Director David Yao and International Affairs Section Chief 
Jec-Kong Gone to discuss Ref A points on Taiwan's interest in 
advanced nuclear reactor research and the nuclear research 
aspects of Taiwan's April 2009 National Energy Conference. 
On the first point, Yao noted the Taiwan authorities have 
issued "no policy guidance or strategic goals" on the 
establishment of advanced nuclear power technology in Taiwan, 
and all of the island's research on advanced (i.e., 
Generation IV) reactors is thus being carried out by National 
Tsing-Hua University.  Current research activities at 
Tsing-Hua include projects related to the Molten Salt Reactor 
(MSR) and Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR).  Tsing-Hua's 
MSR research was initiated by the university's former 
president Frank Shu and is only in its first year, according 
to Yao, with an annual budget of roughly USD 650,000 from the 
National Science Council.  A new budget request to continue 
funding for 2010 has been submitted.  Yao doubted any of the 
Generation IV research would yield practicable results for 
Taiwan, but said the value of such research is to provide 
training for Taiwan's next generation of nuclear engineers. 
 
 
¶4. (C)  Yao did not suggest U.S.-Taiwan cooperation on 
Generation IV research, and predicted Taiwan would continue 
using Generation III or III-Plus reactor technology for at 
least the next twenty years.  He stated the Institute of 
Nuclear Energy Research (INER) has no research projects 
related to Generation IV technology underway or planned 
either solely or in cooperation with any other entities. 
Instead, INER's major research projects for 2009-1012 
include: development and application of nuclear facility 
decommissioning and radwaste management technologies, 
research into environmental plasma technologies, radioactive 
pharmaceutical science development, establishment of a 
high-concentration photovoltaic R&D center, development of 
advanced nuclear safety regulatory technology, platform 
set-up for nuclear technology industrialization, and other 
projects related to alternative energy, carbon capture, and 
radiopharmaceuticals.  Both Yao and Gone said they would 
prepare a presentation outlining in more detail Taiwan's 
position on Generation IV research, specifically with regards 
to MSR and VHTR, and would welcome the opportunity to further 
discuss this issue with U.S. counterparts during the October 
26-27 Joint Standing Committee Meeting on Civil Nuclear 
Cooperation in Kaohsiung. 
 
¶5. (C)  On the second point, related to the April 2009 
National Energy Conference, Yao said AEC was pleased with the 
results.  Although objections to nuclear power from civil 
society groups allowed for only four relatively anodyne 
points of consensus on nuclear issues to emerge from the 
conference, former Premier Liu Chao-Shiuan stated nuclear 
power had a certain future in Taiwan, as it would help reduce 
 
greenhouse gas emissions and create a "low-carbon society." 
Subsequently, the Executive Yuan in July approved an "Action 
Plan for the Conclusions of the 2009 National Energy 
Conference," which included a program to assess "reasonable 
uses" of nuclear power in Taiwan and also the four consensus 
points reached at the conference, including directives to 
ensure plant safety, improve public oversight, identify 
nuclear issues of public concern, and strengthen the training 
of nuclear professionals.  Yao added he expected no changes 
to Taiwan's nuclear policy or direction under new Premier Wu 
Den-yih. 
 
¶6. (C)  Separately, ESTH officer raised the issue noted in 
Ref B, regarding France's request for U.S. assistance to 
resolve the stalled tender for French industrial conglomerate 
AREVA to reprocess 292 tons of spent nuclear fuel currently 
located in Taiwan's Chinshan Nuclear Power Plant.  Director 
Yao stated he understood the U.S. position clearly, that it 
was not in the scope of U.S. responsibilities to provide 
assistance in this case.  Yao noted he has already shared the 
U.S. position with AREVA, but not with anyone from the French 
Institute in Taipei (FIT), and he believed AREVA understood 
clearly why its bid was not approved by the Taiwan 
authorities.  Yao added he was unaware of the disconnect 
between AREVA and FIT, and would gladly give FIT 
representatives the same explanation he gave to AREVA, should 
the opportunity arise. 
STANTON