Associated Press

Taipei, March 20:

A Japanese-built nuclear reactor was being installed today in an oceanside nuclear power plant in Taiwan, officials said. The 1,350-megawatt boiling water reactor was designed by America’s General Electric Co and built by Japan’s Hitachi Ltd. The reactor will generate less waste and run more effectively than those using older technology, said the Taiwan Power Company, which runs the plant in Kungliao, northern Taiwan. The installation will take at least 12 hours to complete with a giant crane employed to lift the 1,000-ton reactor, officials said. Dutch engineering firm Mammoet oversaw the entire installation, said Lin Yuan-teh, a Taiwan Power official. The installation was delayed for months and the nuclear power plant may not be operational until 2008.