Taiwan says no to nuclear plant renewal

A referendum on restarting Taiwan's Maanshan nuclear plant failed to meet the turnout threshold.

Taiwanese voters have rejected a referendum to restart the Maanshan nuclear power plant. Although 74% of those who voted supported the move, it fell short of the 25% turnout threshold needed to pass.

The result upholds Taiwan’s goal of becoming nuclear-free by the end of 2025. Only 4.34 million voted in favor, well below the required 5 million from its 20 million eligible voters.

Why it matters

The failure of the Maanshan referendum highlights more than just a missed electoral threshold—it underscores Taiwan’s deepening energy dilemma. With the last nuclear plant decommissioned in May 2025, the island is now officially nuclear-free for the first time in its history.

However, nuclear’s exit leaves a gap that's far from filled. Once supplying over 50% of electricity in the 1980s and around 16% a decade ago, nuclear has been replaced largely by fossil fuels—42% from liquefied natural gas and 39% from coal as of 2024. Renewables, despite government targets, still contribute just 12–17%, leaving Taiwan’s clean energy ambitions trailing behind its energy reality.

A panorama of Taiwan's energy landscape

Nuclear power once formed the backbone of Taiwan’s energy supply, peaking at 52% in 1985 and remaining above 20% well into the 1990s. Over the past decade, however, that share has steadily declined—to 16% in the early 2010s, just 6.3% in 2023, and roughly 4% in 2024—as reactors aged and were phased out. In their place, natural gas has taken the lead, surpassing both coal and nuclear to become Taiwan’s dominant energy source.

At the same time, Taiwan has aggressively expanded renewables under the Renewable Energy Development Act, targeting 20 GW of solar and 5.7 GW of offshore wind by 2025. While progress has been uneven, wind power generation surged from 2,270 GWh in 2021 to over 10,500 GWh in 2024. Renewables accounted for about 16.8% of total electricity output that year—still short of targets, but growing.

The referendum’s failure has sparked mixed reactions. Environmental groups and anti-nuclear advocates, notably the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union, argue that nuclear risks, waste disposal, and seismic concerns outweigh any short-term benefits. On the other hand, many from diverse industries, including Chairman of Pegatron Corporation Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), have vocally expressed concerns about energy stability and emissions.

With over 95.8% of Taiwan’s energy imported—mostly fossil fuels—many warn that the island’s energy security remains precarious, especially amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region. The debate is no longer just environmental or economic; it’s increasingly about national security.


Stakeholder perspectives

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), leader of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), praised the referendum result as a reflection of Taiwan’s democratic values, while also signaling a shift in tone. Though the DPP has long championed a nuclear-free homeland, Lai acknowledged that under improved safety protocols and waste management, advanced nuclear technologies could be reconsidered—a notable departure from his past stance.

Opposition parties, including the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), continue to back nuclear power, claiming that it provides energy security. While the referendum failed, their advocacy resonates with voters worried about reliability and rising electricity prices.

In August, the KMT's spokesperson Crystal Yang (楊智伃) reaffirmed her support for nuclear power and energy stability, Liberty Times reported. Her stance aligned with the party’s position, as of 2025, of shifting from a “nuclear-free” to a “carbon-free” homeland, a move KMT said is in line with global trends, per Tai Sounds.

The TPP, meanwhile, takes what it calls a “practical” approach—supporting a restart of the Maanshan plant due to its low-risk location in sparsely populated Pingtung, policy council researcher Daphne Huang (黃心愉) said in an interview.

Civil society groups, including the Taiwan Climate Action Network (TCAN), remain firmly against nuclear. They argue the phase-out is rooted in environmental justice and democratic participation. These organizations point to opaque policymaking and a technocratic legacy in Taiwan’s energy planning, saying such processes have eroded public trust over time.

Local sentiment tells a different story. In Pingtung, where the Maanshan plant is located, some residents view the facility not as a threat but as a familiar part of daily life, as disclosed by Taiwan's Environmental Information Center before the referendum: One local coffee shop owner credited the plant with lowering electricity costs and improving local infrastructure through compensation programs. Another resident noted that it’s often younger newcomers—not long-time locals—who express nuclear concerns.

In the private sector, the stakes are also high. When explicitly asked about his take on nuclear energy in Taiwan, NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang spoke in favor of keeping energy options open, citing the soaring power demands of AI. Companies like TSMC face mounting pressure from energy costs and grid reliability, making energy security a growing concern for Taiwan’s high-tech economy.


What's next?

The referendum’s rejection of nuclear reopening adds both complexity and clarity to Taiwan’s energy future. Complexity, because the island must now navigate rising energy demand—driven by extreme weather, digital growth, and industrial needs—without the fallback of nuclear power. Clarity, because it underscores the urgent need to accelerate renewables, boost efficiency, and strengthen grid resilience.

Bridging the gap between ambition and reality will demand bold investment, improved public understanding, and long-term planning. What was once a technocratic issue has become central to Taiwan’s climate strategy and national security, with energy policy now a cornerstone of its resilience

Between ideals and realities

Taiwan’s failed referendum matters not just for its political impact, but for what it reveals about the country’s evolving energy identity. It reflects a public that prioritizes safety, sustainability, and diversity—yet also wrestles with the urgent need for affordable, reliable power.

The task ahead is to turn this moment into meaningful policy and long-term vision. If Taiwan can balance democratic will with strategic planning and innovation, its energy journey may become a model for how a modern democracy can navigate complex trade-offs to build a resilient, forward-looking energy system.