Taiwan’s nuclear renaissance

Posted: May 06, 2026

Last year, Taiwan shut down its final nuclear plant, following a decade of work to phase out the controversial energy source. So why, just months later, are there plans to get it, along with the Kuosheng nuclear plant, back online as soon as possible?

Energy security is the primary driver in this policy shift. Taiwan, a mountainous, densely populated state, lacks mature energy resources like wind, solar or oil fields. Couple that with its expanding semiconductor industry, and Taiwan has become almost completely dependent on imported fossil fuels —in 2024, it imported over 95% of its energy. And this makes Taiwan vulnerable: In the event of a supply-chain interruption, its natural gas reserves would last just two weeks.

The current war in the Middle East has sharpened the threat of an already fragile supply chain. Pro-nuclear sentiments have been stirring for some time, but now, they might be taking root: President William Lai told business leaders in March that the state-owned utility, Taipower, had selected the Kuosheng and Maanshan Nuclear Power plants for reactivation. 

This marks a profound shift in the government’s attitude toward nuclear power. But it could take years to get things going. 

Taiwan’s shift from pro-nuclear to “nuclear-free”

Before the meltdown of Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011, nuclear power, first introduced in the 70s, met 20% of Taiwan’s energy needs and was a valued source of power. In the 80s, nuclear had increased to meet more than half of the island nation’s energy needs. After the meltdown, however, anti-nuclear sentiment took hold in the island nation, and when Taiwan’s current regime, the Democratic Progressive Party took office in 2016, it spent the following decade attempting to phase out nuclear entirely.

Anti-nuclear sentiment wasn’t new to Taiwan though—it first arose in 1986, after the disaster at Chernobyl, and the Democratic Progressive Party was founded on strong opposition to nuclear power. It aimed to block the construction of new nuclear plants, close down existing ones and develop alternative sources of power.

However, days before the last power plant was about to shut down in May, a pro-nuclear group managed to pass legislation extending the licensing of reactors from 40 years to 60. The amendment could have delayed the nuclear phase-out, but the new regulations came too late: The Maanshan plant wound down its operations in accordance with its original licensing period.

If not for the energy policy of the last 15 years, Taipower would have applied for licensing extensions for all six reactors.

Regrets in a nuclear-free Taiwan

Last August, a public referendum was held to help Taiwan decide whether to reopen Maanshan. A majority voted in favor of bringing the plant back online. But not enough people participated for the outcome to take effect.

President Lai had initially not wanted to extend Maanshan’s life but has apparently changed his mind in light of political disruptions endangering Taiwan’s energy imports.

Bidding to bring nuclear back online by 2028, the Taiwanese government and Taipower have taken concrete steps like submitting restart plans to renew the Kuosheng and Maanshan plants’ license to the Nuclear Safety Council. The licenses have already been approved by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Maanshan is about a year behind Kuosheng for reactivation. 

Taipower intends to secure new fuel rods for Kuosheng by the end of the year.

The caveat? Nuclear power takes a lot of time to deploy

Reactivating the plants isn’t quick or simple, though. Even though Maanshan has been closed for less than a year, safety inspections to reopen it could take 18 to 24 months. Taipower also needs to remove old fuel rods and obtain new ones this year for the plant to have it up and running in 2029. And in Taiwan, at least one of the other nuclear reactors has been dormant for too long to be reactivated at all.

Characterized by high levels of seismicity, Taiwan is also looking toward geothermal as well, which could supply between 1 and 6 GWs, according to conservative estimates. More advanced technology might unlock more.

So although nuclear power may contribute to long-term energy independence and security for Taiwan, it can’t protect it from near-term energy shocks. The state will have to look to new sources of energy, both from foreign sources and at home. 

Resources

^{Taiwan’s bumpy road to energy resilience
Nuclear power in Taiwan}