Taiwan’s last operational nuclear reactor – unit 2 at the Maanshan NPP in Pingtung County – has been shut down after its operating licence expired. The removal of fuel rods from the reactor core to the used fuel pool is expected to begin shortly and to take up to two weeks, according to state-run Taiwan Power Company (Taipower). Over its 40-year operating period, it generated a cumulative total of approximately 274.16 TWh, according to Taipower.
The Maanshan plant comprised two 936 MWe pressurised water reactors. Maanshan unit 1 was closed in July 2024 pending decommissioning. 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.
According to a recent Bloomberg report shutting down nuclear power in Taiwan, which prior to 2015 accounted for more than 16% of the electricity mix, will be costly. “Taking into account energy demand growth, Taiwan may need to spend around $2bn more per year on liquefied natural gas purchases by 2030,” the report said.
Cutting emissions will also be more difficult as Taiwan is expected to rely on fossil fuels for 84% its electricity mix in 2025 after failing to meet its renewable energy targets. The DPP in 2016 set a goal of renewable energy generating 20% of electricity by 2025. However, renewables accounted for only 11.6% of energy generation last year, according to Energy Administration statistics.
However, days before the shutdown of Maanshan 2, Taiwan’s parliament passed an amendment allowing NPP operators to apply for a 20-year licence extension beyond the current 40-year limit. The revision was approved with support from two opposition parties, which have a majority in parliament over the ruling DPP. The Nuclear Safety Commission has said any extension of ageing reactors’ operation must meet international safety standards and practices to ensure feasibility and effectiveness. Restarting the Maanshan reactor would take 16-18 months.
Taipower says while nuclear power is superior in output stability, carbon footprint reduction and cost-effectiveness compared with the alternatives, the challenges presented by used fuel management negate these advantages.
The Nuclear Backend Fund would need at least TWD477.4bn ($15.8bn), it said, adding that the cost could increase to TWD500bn due to inflation. Used fuel is supposed to be removed to the reactor pool extension for temporary storage, followed by indoor or outdoor dry storage, centralised storage, then final disposal in a permanent storage facility, Taipower Vice President Tsai Chih-meng said.
However, due to legal disputes with New Taipei City, only the Jinshan NPP has an outdoor dry storage facility, he added. The Jinshan and Guosheng NPPs need additional capacity in indoor and outdoor dry storage, and the Maanshan plant’s indoor dry storage will not be completed at least until 2031.
