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National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform STATEMENT: Referendum to restart the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant rejected after failing to reach quorum
Taiwanese voters headed to the voting booths today, a mere 95 days after the Legislative Yuan passed on 20 May to hold a national referendum on restarting the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant. This is the first national referendum held without a public petition, after the majority-holding Taiwan People’s Party and the Kuomintang proposed and approved it in the Legislative Yuan. The final results are in: with the number of “yes” votes failing to reach the 5 million threshold, and an overall turnout of less than 30%, the referendum did not pass. Lowest turnout in a national referendum after thresholds lowered; results unrepresentative Since major amendments to the Referendum Act in 2017 lowered the thresholds to hold referendums and kick-started a wave of nation-wide votes, the past two large-scale referendums had turnout rates of 51% and 41%, respectively. In contrast, the turn-out today failed to reach even 30%, the lowest turnout […]
Statements of support from international energy scholars for Taiwan’s nuclear phase-out
Having decommissioned the country’s final nuclear reactor earlier this year in May when its 40-year license expired, Taiwan will hold a national referendum on 23 August, to decide whether to restart the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant “upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns?” Hoping to provide Taiwanese voters with state-of-the-art scientific knowledge and latest information on global trends in the energy transition, Taiwan Climate Action Network has reached out to leading energy scholars worldwide for their views on Taiwan’s nuclear phase-out policy—especially in the context of the climate crisis, national security concerns under geopolitical tensions, and the so-called “nuclear renaissance”. You can find their full statements below:
Why the US Won’t Be Able to Help Build Taiwan’s Nuclear Future
When the 40-year operating license of Taiwan’s last remaining commercial nuclear reactor expired on May 17, the country realized its nuclear phase-out policy after decades of politicized debates. If anything, though, the imminent decommissioning of the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant’s second reactor has only fueled another round of heated discussions on the potential role of nuclear power in Taiwan’s energy future. On May 13, the Legislative Yuan – Taiwan’s national legislature, where opposition parties currently hold a majority – passed amendments to the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act, allowing nuclear power plant operators to apply for a 20-year license renewal beyond the original 40-year cap and easing restrictions on their restarts. In the meantime, it also passed a proposal from the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) for a referendum on restarting the Maanshan plant, which is now set to take place in August. Such renewed interest in nuclear energy is a […]
Navigating Geopolitical Turbulence with Taiwan’s Energy Transition Policy
In Taiwan, concerns about energy security centre on its heavy dependence on thermal power generated from imported fossil fuels, which is often described as the Achilles’ Heel in its security. According to statistics from the Energy Administration, in 2024, 39.3% of the electricity generation was from coal-fired, and 42.4% was from liquefied natural gas (LNG), all of which is imported. Renewables account for 11.6% of the share. Meanwhile, the government had set an energy transition target to have an energy mix containing 50% natural gas, 30% coal, and 20% renewables by 2025, making LNG the largest component of the energy portfolio. In response to this goal, the government plans to increase LNG reserves from the current 11-day supply to 14 days by 2027. However, Taiwan’s heavy reliance on LNG has emerged as a politically contentious issue, particularly in light of concerns that such dependence increases the nation’s vulnerability to price volatility driven […]
Taiwan’s Nuclear-Free Moment: A Milestone in the Energy Transition
At approximately 10 p.m. on May 17th, the last reactor at Taiwan’s Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP3) was disconnected from the grid. With that single, silent act, Taiwan effectively turned the page on nuclear energy—realizing the long-aspired vision of a “nuclear-free homeland,” a goal enshrined in both its Basic Environment Act and Climate Change Response Act. This was not merely the decommissioning of a power plant—it was a defining moment in a decades-long struggle over the future of Taiwan’s energy system, a choice between divergent paths of progress. Since the energy transition policy was initiated in the first quarter of 2016, nuclear power’s share of electricity generation has plummeted from 17% to just 3%. Coal, long the dominant source, has seen its share fall from 47% to 35%. Meanwhile, renewable energy—largely wind and solar—has grown nearly tenfold, from 1.3% to 12%, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) now supplies 46% of […]
Taiwan’s Final Step Toward a Nuclear-Free Homeland Faces New Political Hurdles
On May 17th, Taiwan is set to shut down the last operating reactor at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant (NPP 3), effectively realizing its long-held goal of becoming a “nuclear-free homeland.” This milestone marks the culmination of a policy first initiated after the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)—an anti-nuclear political force—won the presidential election in 2016 and launched an ambitious energy transition plan. The policy aimed to phase out all nuclear power plants by 2025, replacing them with renewable energy sources, while gradually reducing coal-fired power in favor of natural gas. From its inception, the energy transition has been politically contentious. Pro-nuclear parties and advocacy groups initiated two national referendums in 2018 and 2021. The 2018 vote succeeded in repealing a symbolic clause in the Electricity Act referencing a “nuclear-free homeland,” but this had no substantive effect on policy. The 2021 referendum, which sought to revive the mothballed Lungmen Nuclear Power […]
Germany’s Climate And Energy Policy After The Election – Policy Making in the Backdrop of Security and Economic Challenges
After the election two weeks ago, Friedrich Merz, a conservative and former corporate lawyer for Blackrock, is likely to become the next chancellor of Germany. The campaign was dominated by the economy and migration, while the climate crisis played an insignificant role. According to a recent poll, Germans consider the economic situation and migration as most pressing issues, with 43 % and 42 % ranking them as top concerns, respectively. Germany has long been a key advocate for climate action. But according to Simon Franzmann, Professor for Democratic Studies in Göttingen, parties emphasize growth and the promise of wealth as key topics, while climate targets move back on the political agenda. Will Germany still be able to decarbonize its economy in this political setting? And will it still lead on climate policy after turning against its incumbent center-left coalition? Merz Wins, The Center Loses, Right And Left-Wing Parties Gain Votes […]
（Taiwan Insight）Trump on Earth? Implications for Taiwan’s Climate and Energy Policy
With its threats to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement and its “energy dominance” agenda, the return of the Trump administration is set to disrupt the global energy landscape. This marks a sharp contrast to the climate legacy of the Biden administration, characterised by historic investments, governance innovation, and renewed international leadership. The Biden administration has implemented a comprehensive approach to address climate change through legislation, policy coordination, and international leadership. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in 2022, allocates $370 billion in federal incentives, the largest climate-focused investment globally. The IRA mandates that 40% of the funds benefit disadvantaged communities and enforces strict environmental standards for hydrogen projects. To ensure effective implementation, the Biden administration established the National Climate Task Force, adopting a whole-of-government approach to domestic climate policy coordination. Therefore, climate change is listed as a key pillar of the National Security Strategy and Trade Policy Agenda. The Department […]
【Climate Week NYC Panel Event】Decarbonizing the Chips – Challenges to Ensure the Semiconductor Industry Towards Net Zero
Time: Friday, 27th September, 10:00- 11:30 AM EST, (11:30 ~12:40 networking) Venue:Studio 1418 (307 W 38th St, 14F, New York, NY 10018, U.S.A) Please register by clicking here Since spaces are limited, we will respond to successful applicants within three days after your submission. The event will be live streamed, we will send you the livestream link of this event if you participate virtually. However, we can’t guarantee the quality of livestream, if there is any technical difficulty, the organizer will upload the recording of this event afterwards. Since semiconductor chips are becoming strategic materials in this digital age, the EU, US, and Japan all proposed a new plan to expand domestic production capacity. These strategies, however, hardly include the decarbonization consideration in the scope. According to the experience in Taiwan, the rising electricity demand of the semiconductor industry creates a dramatic challenge to renewable energy supply and the nationally […]
【Climate Week NYC Panel Event】 Energy Transition in East Asia: Building Resilience and Partnership
Time: Tuesday, 24th September, 2 – 4 PM EST Venue: Blender Event Space (27 E 31st St, New York, NY 10016, U.S.A) This panel event will explore the multifaceted regional challenges faced by Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea as they strive to achieve their 2050 net-zero targets while heavily relying on fossil fuels. We will examine how these nations address the dual pressures of energy security and climate commitments, and discuss pathways to move beyond traditional concepts of energy security towards building energy resiliency. In addition to these challenges, all three countries share common risks from earthquakes and typhoons, coupled with densely populated urban areas. This presents an opportunity to exchange experiences on energy transition, strategies for enhancing energy and climate resilience, and the role of renewable energy in creating synergies with land use and fostering coexistence with local communities. Representatives from Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea will share their local […]