How much did Nuclear Power Plant No. 4 cost?

Remember the referendum on Nuclear Power Plant No. 2014 in XNUMX? At the time, I was participating in a market survey on Taiwan’s energy policy and witnessed firsthand the heated debate among all sectors of society over the fourth nuclear power plant. Many respondents, both supporters and opponents, were confused about the actual cost of the fourth nuclear power plant. officialdataThe situation is confusing and online rumors are flying everywhere, making it difficult to clarify the truth. This fog not only shrouds public opinion, but also affects Taiwan’s energy.policyDirection. My friend, a经济Civil servants working in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology privately revealed that just sorting out the budget information for the fourth nuclear power plant took themteamFor several months, the fragmentation and inconsistency of the data caused them a lot of headaches.

According to data from the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, as of the end of 2023, the cumulative expenditure of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant has exceeded NT$3000 billion. But this figure is not the final figure, because it includes many items that are difficult to calculate accurately, such as land acquisition fees, environmental assessment fees, and interest expenses caused by project delays. More importantly, these figures are not completely open and transparent, and some of the information still needs to be pieced together through news reports, academic research and public information requests from government departments. It is no wonder that many people question that the actual cost may be much higher than the official figures.

To understand the funding black hole of Nuclear Power Plant No. 4, we must trace back to the budget preparation process. Here are a fewkeyproblem:

• Transparency in budgeting:Is the budget review process open and transparent? Is there sufficient public participation?
• Effectiveness of cost control:Is there a comprehensive cost control mechanism during the project? Is cost overruns effectively prevented?
• Tracking of fund flows:Is the purpose of each payment clear? Was there any improper use of funds?

These issues are worth our in-depth discussion so that we can truly clarify the truth about the funding of the fourth nuclear power plant.

In addition to official data, we can also refer to academic research institutions, such as the Taiwan Institute of Economics and the Academia Sinica. They have conducted many studies on the economic benefits and social costs of the fourth nuclear power plant and provided analyses from different angles. Although these research reports may not provide an absolute answer, they can help us understand more comprehensively the complexity of the fourth nuclear power project and its impact on Taiwan.societyThe impact caused. Only through comparison and analysis of information from multiple sources can we dispel the fog and see the truth. We need morepositiveWe have asked the government to disclose all relevant information and establish a more complete supervision mechanism to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

I still remember when I was young, there was an atmosphere in Taiwanese society of "using nuclear power to generate electricity and solve the energy crisis." At that time, I was a rookie marketing consultant who had just entered the workforce. Most of my clients wereTraditionindustry. But many of my friends, including some seniors who work at Taipower, have high expectations for the fourth nuclear power plant, believing that it is the key to Taiwan's escape from its energy crisis. At that time, the official budget for the fourth nuclear power plant was several hundred billion yuan, which sounded like a huge number, but we also felt that "for national projects, there will always be overspending." Who would have thought that these "hundreds of billions" would eventually become an incalculableastronomicalWhat about the numbers?

Later, as time went by, the delays and cost overruns of the fourth nuclear power plant gradually surfaced. I started to see more relevant reports and research reports, such as经济Energy statistics from the Ministry of Energy’s Bureau of Energy, and the Control Yuan’s investigation report on the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant project. These data clearly show that the cost of the fourth nuclear power plant far exceeds the initial estimate, not only causing a huge financial burden, but alsosocietyThe public has begun to question the government's decision-making ability. I remember that at that time, many experts and scholars warned that the risks of the fourth nuclear power plant far outweighed its benefits, including:

• Potential security risks:EarthquakeThe nuclear power plant on board,SafeConcerns always exist.
• High operating costs:Nuclear power plants are extremely expensive to maintain and dispose of their waste.
• Lack of social consensus:The construction of the fourth nuclear power plant has always lacked broad public support.

These arguments have made me start to rethink Taiwan’s energy policy.

FromprofessionFrom a marketing perspective, the failure of the fourth nuclear power plant was not just an engineering problem, but also a major mistake in communication and decision-making. The government failed to effectively explain the risks and benefits of the fourth nuclear power plant to the public, and failed to respond in a timely manner.societyThe doubts caused widespread public resentment and eventually led to the suspension of the project. This also made me deeply realize that in promoting large-scale public construction, transparent information disclosure, broad social participation andscienceRisk assessment is an indispensable key element. According to data from the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, the actual expenditure on the fourth nuclear power plant has far exceeded the original budget. This huge amount of funds could have been invested in other more efficient energy development projects.

Today, looking back at the experience of the fourth nuclear power plant, we should pay more attention to energyDiversityDevelopment, positive developmentrenewable energy, and improve energy efficiency. This is not only to avoid repeating the same mistakes, but also for Taiwan's sustainable development. We need to learn from past mistakes and build better energypolicy, can ensure Taiwan’s energy security and economic development. All of this requires the joint efforts of the government, businesses and the general public to achieve.

I still remember 20 years ago, when I was a young marketing consultant who had just entered the workforce, the “Fourth Nuclear Power Plant” issue was very popular, and clients were asking us toStrategyThe energy issue is included in the consideration. At that time, I witnessed firsthand the polarized public opinion on nuclear energy and came to appreciate the complexity of this issue. Many people are concerned about the disposal of nuclear waste, and some question the safety and cost-effectiveness of nuclear power plants. I then began to study Taiwan’s energy policy and the history of nuclear energy development in depth, trying to find a balance. During that time, I read a lot of reports, including经济The information from the Ministry of Energy's Bureau of Energy and the academic research on the cost-benefit analysis of nuclear power have given me a clearer understanding of the huge investment in the fourth nuclear power plant and the potential risks behind it.

Based on the information I have collected over the years and theexpertAccording to scholars' exchanges, the overall expenditure of Nuclear Power Plant No. 4 far exceeded the original budget. This huge amount of money could have been invested in other more sustainable developments.potentialEnergy construction, such as:

• Renewable energy development:E.gsolar energy, wind power generation, etc., can not only reduce carbon emissions but also create employment opportunities.
• Energy efficiency improvements:Reduce energy consumption through measures such as smart grids and energy-saving buildings.
• Energy storage technology research and development:Solve the problem of intermittent power supply from renewable energy.

These onesinvestment, not only can it improve Taiwan’s energySafe, but also promote economic development and create a better environment.

Taiwan's energy transition cannot be delayed. We must face up to the economic burden of the fourth nuclear power plant and the environmental risks it brings. Relevant reports from the Environmental Protection Administration of the Executive Yuan and research by scholars and experts have pointed out that the operation of nuclear power plants and waste disposal involve long-term costs and risks. These risks are not only经济The losses would not only endanger the safety of the lives of the Taiwanese people and the sustainability of the environment. Therefore, we need more pragmatic energy policies to invest limited resources in more efficient and safer energy development.

Looking to the future, Taiwan should actively develop a diversified energy mix to reduce its reliance on a single energy source. This requires joint efforts from the government, enterprises and the public.policyGuidance, technological innovation andsocietyOnly by reaching a consensus can we gradually realize energy transformation and create aSafe, a sustainable energy future. We must refer to international experience, such as Germany's energy transition policy, learn from its successes and avoid its mistakes. At the same time, it should alsopositiveCultivate energy-related talents and enhance Taiwan'scompetitiveness, can we have a place in the wave of global energy transformation. Only in this way can Taiwan's energy development truly meet the requirements of sustainable development.aims.