Proof right here that one Otaku with a Facebook Group can change the world. meet Huang Shih-shiu, Taiwan's pro-nuclear Final Boss. Thanks to Huang, the odds are good Taiwan's mothballed 4th nuclear plant will be restarted (thread) 
It all started with Fukushima. While everybody else was freaking out, Huang though “huh...huge nuclear disaster and nobody died. Is it really as dangerous as I thought?” In 2013 Huang started the FB group Nuclear Mythbusters. The group made a name for itself with “takedowns”
“We love taking down the anti-nuke groups with their own numbers” said Huang, who crunched a number from a document called “how the 4th nuclear plant is picking your pocket” to calculate the average cost from N4 would be a bargain at NT$1.4/kWh (about a nickel)
Nuclear became a very politicized issue in Taiwan, with then-opposition DPP seizing it as a cudgel. When Huang started the FB group Nuclear Mythbusters, standing up as pro-nuclear online in Taiwan was a dangerous thing to do. People got hard-core doxxed and cyber bullied.
“But it’s my estimation that actual support for nuclear never fell below 50 percent,” said Huang. His group became a literal safe space to be pro-nuclear. In 2018 they initiated the “Nuclear to Renewables” referendum, which passed and in theory up-ended ”no-nukes homeland” law
But political victory did not bring back actual programs. This August Huang is going to the polls with a ref to bring back the mothballed 4th Nuclear plant. He’s confident that the referendum will pass, along with another referendum to stall the 3rd LNG terminal.
Tsai’s energy transition program seeks to replace nuclear with LNG and renewables. Huang is “meh” on renewables but hardline against too much natural gas as a security issue. More specifically, spiking future regional demand.
“Even if China wasn’t messing with us specifically, they could accidentally cause an energy crisis just by buying up all the gas for their internal demand.” Nuclear, says Huang, is “the only logical choice if you are consistently pro-Taiwan Energy Independence.”
Politically, the pro-nuclear issue is associated with the opposition KMT, who scooped Huang up as a campagne consultant. However, no matter how much I pressed him, Huang refused to say he’s a KMT supporter. “I hate the KMT, they’re a bunch of idiotic dinosaurs.” Ouch!
Side note: How much do you have to suck as a party that your own paid flacks talk shit about you like that? In any case, Huang insists that there are plenty of pan-green voters who are “silent yesses” when it comes to nuclear...as well as blues who don’t like it.
Huang picks out vice-president Lai Ching-te as a closeted nuclear sympathizer. “I look forward to voting for Lai in the 2024 elections” he said. When I asked if he’ll work for Lai, Huang said “he doesn’t have to pay me, I can help”.
Huang admits existing nuclear won’t solve Taiwan’s coming energy crisis. But it can help. Extending N2+N3’s tenure plus opening N4 will yield roughly 20% of our energy mix. “Another 5 percent if we have the balls to reopen N1.” That still leaves a lot of coal and gas.
Huang strikes me as 1-part hard science geek, 1-part agent of chaos. “Reunification or independence are both fine by me. But if Taiwan chooses independence, it better be prepared for the costs. What we have now are Green Cadets who are prepared to fight online but not a war.”
If Taiwan does reopen the N4, Huang’s estimated timeline is 2-3 years to restart the 1st reactor and 4-5 years to restart the 2nd reactor. N2+3 can be kept going as soon as storage problem solved. Shortest route dry cask storage facilities, which are ready but lack a license.
As a hardcore follower of Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek, Huang is actually more Neoliberal than us. I explained to him that the Neoliberal project is a different flavor, nevertheless he has agreed to be the inaugural speaker of the Taipei Chapter of the Neoliberal Project.
If you are in Taiwan and passionate about energy issues, nuclear supporter or nuclear-curious, watch this space. @DS_in_Taipei and I will have more soon. We can have our debates on whether or not to build more nuclear but can we agree it’s dumb not to use what we have? (/thread)
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
