Taiwan faces tough choice: Stable energy or nuclear risks?
The upcoming referendum in Taiwan could potentially reverse Taiwan’s "nuclear-free homeland" policy, which was adopted in 2016 by the governing centre-left Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Scheduled for August 23, voters will decide whether to allow the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant's second reactor to continue operating.
The power plant located in Pingtung County's Hengchun Township, in southern Taiwan, began operations in 1985. It was one of three operational nuclear sites in Taiwan, which started building nuclear plants in the 1970s.
In 1985, after Maanshan came online, nuclear power accounted for a significant 52.4% of the island's electricity generation.
Key points about the referendum
The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) proposed the referendum on April 18, with support from the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT), and it is seen by some as a "direct-democracy counteroffensive" by the KMT after a mass recall vote, where voters are allowed to remove elected officials from office, which threatened their parliamentary majority. Allegations were made that the KMT had close ties to China.
The referendum will specifically ask voters if they agree that the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operation upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.
Arguments for restarting
Supporters of the referendum, including TPP and KMT, argue that nuclear power provides stable electricity with low carbon emissions, unlike weather-dependent solar and wind. They highlight Taiwan's reliance on imported fossil fuels and potential national security risks in the event of a Chinese blockade. The semiconductor industry, a world leader in Taiwan, requires large amounts of stable electricity, and there have been recent power outages.
Arguments against restarting
Opponents, such as the National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform and the Pingtung County government, warn of seismic risks due to the plant's location near a fault line above the Manila Trench, an area with a high earthquake risk. They also cite unresolved nuclear waste issues and the high cost of extending operations. Opponents also argue that the decommissioning of the plant reflected social consensus and that the sudden referendum challenges procedural justice and local rights.
Nuclear phase-out plan
The Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant’s second reactor (Maanshan-2) was shut down in May 2025, after 40 years of service. Its first reactor was turned off in 2024. This shutdown was in line with the "nuclear-free homeland" policy announced in 2016 by the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Following the decommissioning of Chinshan in 2019 and Kuosheng in 2022, Maanshan was Taiwan's last nuclear power plant reactor to be shut down. As of May 2025, none of Taiwan's energy is generated domestically using nuclear power.
Historical context
While Taiwan once relied on nuclear power for over half its electricity in the 1980s, this share fell to about 6% in 2023. Anti-nuclear sentiment grew after events like the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the 2011 Fukushima disaster, which led to significant public opposition and protests.
Previous nuclear-related referendums include a 2018 proposal on using nuclear to support green energy, which passed, and a 2021 proposal on "restarting the Lungmen Nuclear Power Plant", which failed.
Threshold for passage
For the proposal to pass, "agree" votes must exceed "disagree" votes and make up at least one-quarter of Taiwan’s 5 million eligible voters. If rejected, the same question cannot be raised again for two years.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
