Referendum proposed for restart of Taiwan's Maanshan nuclear power plant

Wednesday, 21 May 2025

The proposed referendum wording is: "Do you agree that the third nuclear power plant (Maanshan) should continue operation subject to approval by the competent authority and confirmation there are no safety concerns?"

According to Taiwan's Central News Agency the proposal was passed by 58 votes to 49, and was supported by the main opposition Kuomintang and the Taiwan's People's Party.

The vote for a referendum to be held - which will need to be referred to the Central Election Commission before it could happen - came just days after Unit 2 of the Maanshan nuclear power plant, Taiwan's last operating reactor, was disconnected from the grid. The unit is due to be decommissioned following the expiry of its 40-year operating licence, in accordance with Taiwan's nuclear phase-out policy.

Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was elected to government in January 2016 with a policy of creating a "nuclear-free" Taiwan by 2025. Under this policy, Taiwan's six operable power reactors would be decommissioned as their 40-year operating licences expire. Shortly after taking office, the DPP government passed an amendment to the Electricity Act, passing its phase-out policy into law. The government aims for an energy mix of 20% from renewable sources, 50% from liquefied natural gas and 30% from coal.

As Taiwan's last operating reactor, Maanshan 2 had been providing about 3% of its electricity.

Last week, Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act that allows nuclear power plant operators to apply for a 20-year licence renewal beyond the existing 40-year limit, potentially extending a plant's operating lifespan to 60 years, the Central News Agency reported. The final vote saw the main opposition Kuomintang and the Taiwan People's Party push the amendment through with 60 votes in favour, defeating the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's 51 votes.

Separately, Taipei Times reported last week that Taiwan's National Atomic Research Institute (NARI) has launched a large-scale, four-year small modular reactor research project with a budget exceeding TWD100 million (USD3.3 million). President William Lai has said he remains open to the use of advanced nuclear technologies as long as three conditions are met: nuclear safety, proper management of nuclear waste and societal consensus. Anticipating the potential commercial debut of SMRs by 2030, NARI said its goal was to provide a reference for industrial or national policies.