TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan should continue to use nuclear energy to support the reduction of carbon emissions as green energy can not achieve this alone, deputy convener of the government’s National Climate Change Committee Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) said Saturday (Aug. 31).

Tung, who is also the chair of technology manufacturer Pegatron, told CNA that Taiwan should work towards the “coexistence of nuclear and green energy.” He said this should be done because of Taiwan’s high demand for electricity, and because nuclear power is a stable source of energy and does not  emit carbons.

Tung said he supports extending the life of Taiwan’s Kuosheng and Maanshan nuclear power plants. He said that Taiwan should not rely solely on either nuclear power plants or green energy sources to reduce carbon emissions.

The Maanshan and Kuosheng plants have been shut down and each began the process of decommissioning in July and March respectively.

Tung said in the past, opposition to nuclear power was based on the public’s negative perception of nuclear bombs, and the fear that it could destroy the environment or people’s homes. He said that there have been no injuries or property damage from nuclear power in Taiwan over the past 40 years, showing risks can be managed effectively.

There are risks to nuclear power, but they can be managed and eliminated with technology and procedures, Tung said. He said using nuclear power will help Taiwan achieve United Nations standards for carbon emissions.

Singapore signed a cooperation agreement with the United States in July focused on nuclear energy, which Tung said was because it does not have space to develop other methods of energy production. He said Singapore had done this when its per unit price of electricity was much higher than Taiwan’s.

The National Climate Change Committee met for the first time on Aug. 9 and was attended by Tung. After the meeting, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Taiwan’s energy issues are not a simple question of being for or against nuclear power.

Every energy issue is a “complex multi-choice question” that involves many possible answers, Lai said.