Taiwan referendum nuclear plant

By Yu-Tzu Chiu and Johannes Neudecker

Taipei, Taiwan (dpa) — A referendum held in Taiwan on Saturday on a proposal to reopen a recently closed nuclear power plant failed due to low voter turnout, reinforcing the country’s nuclear phase-out.

The Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant in southern Pingtung shut its last reactor on May 17 after a 40-year license expired, marking Taiwan’s exit from atomic energy, a key 2016 pledge shaped by Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

In the referendum, citizens were asked whether the plant should resume operations if deemed safe. Of the roughly 20 million eligible voters, some 4.34 million voted yes, outnumbering the 1.51 million no votes but falling short of the required 25% threshold of total eligible voters, according to the Central Election Commission.

Total voter turnout was 29.53%, according to the official figures.

President Lai Ching-te said he respects the outcome of the vote and society’s call for diverse energy sources.

“We will not rule out advanced nuclear energy” if technology improves, nuclear waste is reduced, and consensus is reached, he said, while pledging to continue advancing the energy transition.

The referendum followed a proposal by the opposition Taiwan People’s Party, citing rising demand from the semiconductor industry, energy security amid tensions with China, and the low carbon footprint of nuclear energy.

Opponents, including the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and environmental groups, warned of earthquake risks and unsolved waste issues, urging faster renewable development.

Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Energy and Carbon Reduction Lin Tze-luen said prioritizing net-zero initiatives over plant restarts would better enhance resilience.

“The goals set by the government to promote renewable energy won’t be changed,” Lin told dpa on Saturday.

In 2024, fossil fuels supplied 82.1% of Taiwan’s electricity, while renewables accounted for only 11.9%. The country plans to boost solar, wind, hydro- and geothermal power to 30% by 2030.

Taiwan began building nuclear power plants in the 1970s, and old reactors have been gradually taken offline since 2018.