Taiwan wants nuclear energy back, but can it overcome the hurdles?

On 28 November 2026, besides taking part in the local elections for mayors and councilors, Taiwanese voters will also decide on a referendum on nuclear energy. The referendum asks: “Do you agree that the government should abolish the ‘nuclear-free homeland’ energy policy to ensure public health, stable electricity supplies and affordable electricity prices, strengthen national-defense resilience and support the development of artificial intelligence (AI) industries?”

The referendum, spearheaded by the opposition, the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), directly challenges the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)’s longstanding “nuclear-free homeland” policy. According to Taiwan’s Referendum Act, the proposal passes only if at least 25% of all eligible voters vote “yes” and the “yes” votes exceed the “no” votes.   

In May 2025, the DPP administration shut down Taiwan’s last operating nuclear reactor, reducing the share of nuclear energy in the national grid to zero. When all three nuclear power sites (Chinshan, Kuosheng and Maanshan) were operating, nuclear power supplied approximately 10% to 15% of Taiwan’s electricity during the early to mid-2010s. 

In tandem with rising electricity demand, the opposition parties and industry groups have pressured the government to restore nuclear power to approximately 11% of the national energy mix by extending the operating lives of existing reactors and restarting decommissioned units. 

A pragmatic shift

Taiwan’s political consensus appears to be shifting in favour of nuclear energy. The most significant change is occurring within the DPP. Having pursued a “nuclear-free homeland” in Taiwan for decades and eventually shutting down all operating nuclear power plants, the DPP is now undergoing a pragmatic shift towards nuclear power. It is considering not only conventional nuclear energy but also expressing openness towards advanced small modular reactors (SMRs). Many statements and policy measures reflect this shift. 

The DPP administration has also instructed Taipower, the state-owned electricity utility, and the Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC), Taiwan’s nuclear regulator, to begin safety inspections for potential reactor restarts.

Public opinion is likewise turning in favour of nuclear power. For example, in the August 2025 referendum, approximately 4.3 million voters supported reopening the Maanshan nuclear power plant, compared with 1.5 million who opposed it. However, the referendum failed to meet the legal requirement that “yes” votes must account for at least 25% of all eligible voters, rendering the result non-binding.  

This shift is being driven by several converging factors such as rising electricity demand associated with the AI and semiconductor boom; growing national defence concerns amid the risk of a maritime blockade by the People’s Liberation Army due to heavy reliance on imported energy; slow progress in meeting renewable energy targets; public concerns over rising electricity tariffs; and Taiwan’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions goals. 

Taiwan imports nearly 97% of its energy. Given geopolitical instability in regions such as the Middle East and the Taiwan Strait, this extreme reliance on imported energy raises serious concerns about energy security. 

Hurdles to restarting nuclear power 

Even if the referendum is passed, several regulatory, infrastructural, financial and workforce-related obstacles remain before nuclear energy can return to the national grid.  

Second, before applying for licence renewals, the NSC must conduct extensive technical reviews, including seismic-safety assessments — a critical requirement given Taiwan’s vulnerability to frequent earthquakes. All of Taiwan’s nuclear power plants have completed their initial 40-year operating licences, although their operating lives could be extended following additional safety reviews. The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi disaster in Japan, triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, shows why these assessments matter.

Third, sourcing certified replacement parts for older facilities — such as the Kuosheng and Maanshan plants — could pose a major challenge. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including Westinghouse and General Electric, have discontinued production of many legacy components used in reactors built during the 1980s. Manufacturing customised, safety-grade parts and replacing obsolete analogue instrumentation with digital systems could add years and substantial costs to any restart project. 

Fourth, nuclear-waste disposal remains unresolved. According to the NSC, most spent-fuel pools are nearly full. Taiwan has no permanent repository for high-level radioactive waste; its regulatory framework requires deep geological disposal while excluding unsafe sites.

Fifth, Taiwan’s power grid is geographically segmented. Major industrial demand is concentrated in the northern and central regions, whereas significant generating capacity is located in the south, including the Maanshan plant in Pingtung. Restarting southern reactors requires sufficient ultra-high-voltage transmission lines to move electricity northward without creating local grid congestion.

Overhaul will take time

Sixth, Taiwan faces a critical talent gap in the nuclear sector. As plants were phased out, experienced nuclear engineers retired and university enrolment in nuclear engineering declined sharply. Given Taiwan’s declining population, re-building the specialised workforce needed to operate, inspect and maintain restarted facilities would take time. 

Seventh, Taipower has accumulated substantial financial losses due to high imported-fuel costs and capped retail electricity tariffs. Making older plants earthquake-resistant, upgrading safety systems and completing government-mandated safety checks would cost billions of New Taiwan dollars upfront, exacerbating the financial burden on the heavily indebted state utility. 

Eighth, SMR technology, in which the DPP has expressed interest, remains in the early commercial deployment phase globally. SMRs are unlikely to achieve widespread commercial-scale deployment in Taiwan before the mid-2030s. 

Because the referendum will be held alongside local elections, the opposition may be able to mobilise enough voters to meet the legal threshold for a nuclear-energy referendum. If passed, the referendum could mark both a major political victory for the opposition and a pivotal turn in Taiwan’s energy doctrine. Although significant legal, technical and waste management hurdles remain, the shifting positions of Taiwan’s political parties and public suggest a growing recognition that an electricity system heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels constitutes a serious strategic vulnerability.

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