Taiwan will hold a national referendum on August 23 to decide whether its recently closed Maanshan nuclear reactor should be restarted, pending safety approval. The vote marks a major shift in the island’s energy policy, driven by growing concerns over energy security.
The Maanshan plant, Taiwan’s last operational nuclear reactor, was shut down earlier this month. The closure followed the government’s long-standing plan to phase out nuclear power by the end of 2025, a policy promoted by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) since its election in 2016.
Since 2018, Taiwan has decommissioned four other reactors and halted construction on two more, reaffirming its anti-nuclear stance in a 2021 referendum. However, rising energy concerns have reignited the debate.
Opposition parties, which support nuclear power, proposed the new referendum. They argue the Maanshan reactor should resume operations if it passes safety inspections. Taiwan’s Central Election Commission has approved the vote, saying it focuses solely on the future of the third nuclear plant, which shut down on May 17, 2025.
In a further policy shift, Taiwan’s Parliament recently amended the Nuclear Power Act, allowing reactors to apply for a 20-year license extension beyond the previous 40-year limit. This change makes it legally possible to restart plants like Maanshan, if approved by voters and regulators.
Even if the referendum passes, energy officials estimate that safety reviews could take up to three years, delaying any potential restart.
Taiwan is also seeking to diversify its energy sources. As part of efforts to strengthen energy security and reduce its trade surplus with the U.S., Taiwan’s state-owned CPC Corporation recently signed a letter of intent to invest in the $44 billion Alaska LNG project and purchase American liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Despite such agreements, Taiwan has learned that buying more U.S. energy does not guarantee protection from international tariffs.
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