President says as nuclear power may be reconsidered if it is shown to be safe
A referendum to push for the restart of Taiwan’s last commercial nuclear plant has failed to reach the legal threshold to be valid, leaving the island nation without any reactors and raising concerns about energy security.
About 4.3 million people voted in favour of the Maanshan-2 nuclear power plant’s reopening in the referendum, a clear majority over the 1.5 million who voted against, figures from the Central Election Commission showed.
But the motion needed the backing of one quarter of all registered electors – about 5 million people – to get through under electoral law, meaning the plant in southern Taiwan will not resume operation.
The overwhelming support for the plant’s restart showed that nuclear energy remains a divisive issue and highlighted the need for a more diverse energy mix in Taiwan, press reports in the island nation said.
President Lai Ching-te told reporters on Saturday evening that while the referendum had failed, he understood “society’s expectations for diverse energy options”.
“If, in the future, the technology becomes safer, nuclear waste is reduced and societal acceptance increases, we will not rule out advanced nuclear energy,” he said.
The centre-left Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) proposed the referendum in the legislature n April and the bill was passed in May with backing from the main opposition, the right-wing Kuomintang (KMT).
Supporters Highlight Lack Of Domestic Energy Resources
The referendum question read: “Do you agree that the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operation upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns?”
Supporters of the proposal argued that nuclear power offers stable electricity and low carbon emissions, and can be generated consistently – unlike solar and wind, which are affected by weather.
They also highlighted the island nation’s lack of domestic energy resources, its reliance on imports, and potential national security risks in the event of an energy blockade by Beijing, which has long seen Taiwan as part of China and does not recognise its independence.
With the closure of Maanshan-2 there are no operating commercial nuclear plants in Taiwan.
In 2024, natural gas and coal together accounted for 83.2% of Taiwan's electricity generation. Taiwan imports around 98% of its energy needs – including natural gas coal and oil.
“Natural gas is imported; everything is imported,” said Simona Grano, head of the China-Taiwan relations research unit at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. “If China starts a blockade, Taiwan will have big issues in supplying itself.”
Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has set a target to generate 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025, while also phasing out nuclear power.
Maanshan-2 was permanently shut down by state nuclear operator Taipower at midnight on 17 May, fulfilling the government’s promise to make the Asian island nation “nuclear-free”.
Semiconductor Indutry Drives Soaring Demand
The 938-MW pressurised water reactor unit began commercial operation in 1985. Taipower had previously shut down the Maanshan-1 nuclear power plant, a 936-MW PWR that began commercial operation in 1984, in July 2024, at the time leaving only Maanshan-2 online.
The referendum was proposed by pro-nuclear opposition parties that have pushed back against the DPP’s nuclear phaseout.
A similar referendum in 2021 narrowly decided not to restart construction of the mothballed Lungmen nuclear power station project, to the east of the capital Taipei in northern Taiwan.
The Lungmen project, known in Taiwan as the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, was to consist of two advanced boiling water reactor units, each of 1,300 MW net.
Work had been suspended since July 2014 following environmental protests over what campaigners said were the potential dangers of nuclear power. The project was also delayed by political arguments and price increases.
Soaring energy demand driven by Taiwan’s semiconductor industry is rekindling the debate about nuclear energy. The country’s electricity needs are expected to rise by 12-13% by 2030, largely driven by the boom in artificial intelligence, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
At one point, nuclear energy from six reactors in Taiwan provided more than half of heavily industrialised island’s electricity.
