In Taiwan’s recent referendum, which asked Do you agree that the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns?, 4,341,432 people (73.5%) voted yes, the Central Election Commission said. However, the referendum still failed to pass, as it did not meet the required threshold of 5,000,523 affirmative votes, or 25% of eligible voters. Voter turnout was only 29.53%.
This means that Taiwan will remain without nuclear power, although the government has not ruled out reintroducing it. Taiwan’s last operational nuclear reactor – unit 2 at the Maanshan NPP in Pingtung County – was shut down after its operating licence expired in May. The Maanshan plant comprised two 936 MWe pressurised water reactors. Maanshan unit 1 was closed in July 2024 pending decommissioning. Taiwan originally had three two-unit NPPs 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.
Taiwan’s legislature revised a nuclear power bill in May that effectively opened the door for a restart of NPPs by renewing or extending licences for up to 20 years, but it was too late for the Maanshan plant.
The failure to achieve the referendum threshold shows that controversy remains, according to Chen Jong-shun, an associate researcher at the Centre for Green Economy of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research. Chen said that based on its project experience, Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) could, with broad social consensus, restart operations at the plant in “as little as two years.” However, as there is no consensus “the future is still unclear,” he said.
Chen Shih-hau, Director-General of Research Division V at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, said that public opinion must be weighed when formulating energy security policy, otherwise it “only increases variables” in Taipower’s planning. For example, the Lungmen NPP in New Taipei City’s Gongliao District, which never entered commercial operation, created supply pressures in northern Taiwan until a gas-fired generator at the Datan Power Plant in Taoyuan came online, he said.
He added that restarting existing plants is less costly than building new ones, but shutting down large nuclear facilities has “a significant impact,” which is “why energy planning emphasises diversification”.
In the run-up to the referendum, many business leaders had supported it, including Lin Por-fong, Chairman of the Third Wednesday Club, a prominent business association, citing concerns over stability. Lin urged the government to rethink energy policy in a way that supports economic growth, ensuring a stable power supply and reasonable electricity prices. “This cannot be achieved without nuclear power,” he said.
Pegatron Corp Chairman Tung Tzu-hsien believes that nuclear energy is vital for reducing carbon emissions. “Taiwan’s biggest problem is not a power shortage; that is only a potential pressure. Even more serious is the lack of carbon-free electricity,” he said.
William Yang, senior analyst for North East Asia at the International Crisis Group said the referendum result, despite its failure, is sending a signal to the government that more people believe that nuclear-based energy solutions should be considered. “It also reflects the public’s anxiety and concern about Taiwan’s energy resilience and capability to maintain stable energy supply,” he noted. “This result, even though it falls short of the legal threshold, showcases the gap between the government’s preferred policy line and the public opinion.”
The issue is critical for Taiwan, which imports almost 96% of its energy, given its role as a global technology manufacturing hub. Companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co face electricity rates that surpass those at their overseas plants. Taiwan’s power demand is projected to rise 13% by the end of the decade, largely driven by data centres and chipmakers.
President Lai Ching-te told reporters that, while the referendum had failed, he understood “society’s expectations for diverse energy options”. He added: “If, in the future, the technology becomes safer, nuclear waste is reduced and societal acceptance increases, we will not rule out advanced nuclear energy.”
