Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster 40th Anniversary: Environmental Alliance Opposes Restart of Nuclear III
On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Taiwan's Environmental Protection Union (TEPU) issued a statement emphasizing the lessons from the accident and opposing the restart of Taiwan's aging Third Nuclear Power Plant. The organization cited Taiwan's geographical conditions and the vulnerability of nuclear power plants in the Ukraine war, advocating for the maintenance of a nuclear-free homeland.
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- 📰 Published: April 25, 2026 at 12:58
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wu Hsin-yun, Taipei, 25th) Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Environmental groups today issued a statement, asserting that the Chernobyl nuclear disaster was the most severe nuclear accident in human history, affecting as many as 9 million people. They urged remembrance of the lessons from Chernobyl and opposed the restart of Nuclear Power Plant 3 (NPP3).
The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union today issued a statement pointing out that on April 26, 1986, the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, exploded, releasing massive amounts of radioactive materials that contaminated vast areas, including Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. This affected an area nearly four times the size of Taiwan and harmed as many as 9 million people, making it the most severe nuclear accident in human technological history.
TEPU stated that months after the damage, the No. 4 reactor was encased in a protective concrete and lead sarcophagus, and later a large steel containment structure was built to prevent further radioactive leaks. Today, the exclusion zone covers approximately 2,600 square kilometers, and the Ukrainian government still spends 5% to 7% of its total annual budget, approximately US$2.5 billion (about NT$78.7 billion) to US$5 billion (about NT$157.4 billion), on cleanup efforts.
TEPU highlighted that after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was occupied by Russian troops on the first day of the invasion. During the occupation, Russian forces dug trenches and built air raid shelters within the exclusion zone, leading to increased radioactive contamination. Although they later withdrew, subsequent drone attacks damaged the outer shell of the second containment structure and caused an internal explosion. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) assessment at the end of 2025 concluded that while the main structure of the containment did not collapse, it had lost its primary function and could no longer effectively seal radioactive materials.
TEPU added that experts further indicate that without repair, the containment structure could "structurally deteriorate or even collapse," which would mean the risk of radiation leakage could once again affect the entire world.
TEPU noted that the operating license for Unit 2 of NPP3 expired and it was decommissioned on May 17 last year, achieving Taiwan's goal of a "nuclear-free homeland." However, the ruling team has repeatedly released pro-nuclear messages recently, and Taipower also submitted a restart plan for NPP3 to the Nuclear Safety Commission for review on March 27 this year.
TEPU stated that in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, where the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants in Ukraine were attacked, exposing the world to nuclear disaster risks, is it wise to restart old nuclear power plants in the increasingly tense situation in the Taiwan Strait?
TEPU also questioned whether "nuclear waste solution" refers to the completion of an interim dry storage facility for high-level nuclear waste or the commencement of construction for a final disposal site, and how "social consensus" is to be measured.
TEPU emphasized that Taiwan is densely populated with frequent typhoons and earthquakes, making it unsuitable for developing nuclear power and unable to withstand a major nuclear disaster. Taiwan is already successfully moving towards a nuclear-free homeland through energy transition and should not revert to the old path of relying on dangerous, expensive, and millennia-long harmful nuclear power.
On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, TEPU called on all sectors of society to learn from the lessons of Chernobyl, oppose the restart of old nuclear power plants, and jointly adhere to energy transition and a nuclear-free homeland, allowing people to soon have a safe, healthy, comfortable, beautiful, and sustainable home. (Editor: Lee Shu-hua) 1150425
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(Central News Agency reporter Wu Hsin-yun, Taipei, 25th) Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Environmental groups today issued a statement, asserting that the Chernobyl nuclear disaster was the most severe nuclear accident in human history, affecting as many as 9 million people. They urged remembrance of the lessons from Chernobyl and opposed the restart of Nuclear Power Plant 3 (NPP3).
The Taiwan Environmental Protection Union today issued a statement pointing out that on April 26, 1986, the No. 4 reactor of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, exploded, releasing massive amounts of radioactive materials that contaminated vast areas, including Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia. This affected an area nearly four times the size of Taiwan and harmed as many as 9 million people, making it the most severe nuclear accident in human technological history.
TEPU stated that months after the damage, the No. 4 reactor was encased in a protective concrete and lead sarcophagus, and later a large steel containment structure was built to prevent further radioactive leaks. Today, the exclusion zone covers approximately 2,600 square kilometers, and the Ukrainian government still spends 5% to 7% of its total annual budget, approximately US$2.5 billion (about NT$78.7 billion) to US$5 billion (about NT$157.4 billion), on cleanup efforts.
TEPU highlighted that after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in February 2022, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was occupied by Russian troops on the first day of the invasion. During the occupation, Russian forces dug trenches and built air raid shelters within the exclusion zone, leading to increased radioactive contamination. Although they later withdrew, subsequent drone attacks damaged the outer shell of the second containment structure and caused an internal explosion. The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) assessment at the end of 2025 concluded that while the main structure of the containment did not collapse, it had lost its primary function and could no longer effectively seal radioactive materials.
TEPU added that experts further indicate that without repair, the containment structure could "structurally deteriorate or even collapse," which would mean the risk of radiation leakage could once again affect the entire world.
TEPU noted that the operating license for Unit 2 of NPP3 expired and it was decommissioned on May 17 last year, achieving Taiwan's goal of a "nuclear-free homeland." However, the ruling team has repeatedly released pro-nuclear messages recently, and Taipower also submitted a restart plan for NPP3 to the Nuclear Safety Commission for review on March 27 this year.
TEPU stated that in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war, where the Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants in Ukraine were attacked, exposing the world to nuclear disaster risks, is it wise to restart old nuclear power plants in the increasingly tense situation in the Taiwan Strait?
TEPU also questioned whether "nuclear waste solution" refers to the completion of an interim dry storage facility for high-level nuclear waste or the commencement of construction for a final disposal site, and how "social consensus" is to be measured.
TEPU emphasized that Taiwan is densely populated with frequent typhoons and earthquakes, making it unsuitable for developing nuclear power and unable to withstand a major nuclear disaster. Taiwan is already successfully moving towards a nuclear-free homeland through energy transition and should not revert to the old path of relying on dangerous, expensive, and millennia-long harmful nuclear power.
On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, TEPU called on all sectors of society to learn from the lessons of Chernobyl, oppose the restart of old nuclear power plants, and jointly adhere to energy transition and a nuclear-free homeland, allowing people to soon have a safe, healthy, comfortable, beautiful, and sustainable home. (Editor: Lee Shu-hua) 1150425
Choose to stand with facts; every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "Firsthand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.