Taiwan’s National Atomic Research Institute (NARI) has launched a large-scale, four-year small modular reactor SMR research project with a budget of more than TWD100m ($3.3m). This comes as the government prepares to decommission the Maanshan NPP in Pingtung County fulfilling its pledge to make Taiwan nuclear free.
The Maanshan plant comprised two 936 MWe pressurised water reactors. Maanshan unit 1 was closed in July 2024 pending decommissioning after its operating licence expired. The licence for unit 2 expired in May.
Before the closure of Maanshan 2, nuclear power accounted for about 3.6% of Taiwan’s energy use, which is dominated by coal and liquefied natural gas. Taiwan originally had three NPPs, each with two units, at Chinshan, Kuosheng and Maanshan with two others under construction at Lungmen. In 2016, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected on a platform of establishing a “nuclear-free homeland” by 2025.
President William Lai has said he remains open to the use of advanced nuclear technologies as long as three conditions are met: nuclear safety, proper management of nuclear waste, and social acceptance. However, with the decommissioning of the reactors, the number of nuclear specialists in Taiwan has declined, raising concerns about a potential expertise gap.
Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) Chairman Chen Min-jen admitted that a significant amount of nuclear talent has been lost over the past two decades, and that the government needs to cultivate and retain personnel for the sector. NSC has established a training system for current employees and is collaborating with the National Science & Technology Council to develop a nuclear science and technology research programme.
NSC has allocated funding to support academic and research institutions to undertake studies on the safe management of nuclear waste, and the development of nuclear technologies and applications in nuclear and radiological medical science, said Chen.
Anticipating the potential development of small modular reactors by 2030, NARI said its goal is to provide a reference for industrial or national policies. The institute also plans to send personnel to countries with advanced nuclear plants, such as in Europe, the US and Japan for training, and to recruit international experts or overseas Taiwanese academics to introduce advanced global technologies and perspectives.
Commenting on proposals from opposition party legislators to restart existing nuclear reactors, Minister of Economic Affairs J W Kuo said recently that this would take at least 16-18 months for a number of reasons, including the need to repurchase fuel.
