TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Environmental groups and scholars on Tuesday urged the government to conduct a national security assessment before moving forward with a plan to increase imports of liquefied natural gas from the US.

Economics Minister Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) announced Thursday that Taiwan may increase US LNG imports to reduce the bilateral trade deficit. He also noted the country is considering participation in an LNG extraction project in Alaska, per CNA.

Waimushan Defense Action Group convener Wang Hsing-chih (王醒之) criticized the economic rationale behind the plan, noting that US LNG is about 1.5 times more expensive than imports from competitors such as Australia or Qatar, per Udn. He also raised concerns about Taiwan’s projected LNG storage capacity by 2032, which is 2.2 times higher per capita than Japan’s, despite Taiwan’s limited habitable land.

Wang pointed to Taipower’s proposal to renovate the Concord Power Plant in Keelung to include an LNG terminal as an example of a potential security concern. The proposed facility would sit 1.4 kilometers from a naval garrison, per Rti.

Keelung Taiwan Head Cultural Association Director General Chang Wen-ling (張雯玲) echoed Wang's observation. She warned that the terminal’s location at the mouth of Keelung Harbor could hinder naval operations if the harbor was damaged.

Wang acknowledged that Taipower once argued the terminal and nearby LNG tanks would hold no military value in the event of a Chinese attack. However, he pointed to recent Chinese military exercises that included simulated attacks on the Yung-An LNG Terminal in Kaohsiung as evidence that such facilities could be targets.

Wang called on the Cabinet to conduct explosion pressure simulations, military risk assessments, and evacuation plans for the Concord Power Plant LNG Terminal project.

National Taiwan Ocean University Professor Lee Chao-shing (李昭興) addressed the environmental implications. He warned that a greater reliance on LNG could leave Taiwan vulnerable to future carbon taxes and climate-related penalties.

Lee recommended that Taiwan invest more heavily in geothermal energy, citing its lower environmental impact and greater resilience. He also encouraged the government to seek collaboration with the US on developing geothermal energy as an alternative to fossil fuels.