Taiwan: Referendum in favor of restarting nuclear power fails

It was only in May that Taiwan shut down its last reactor number two at the Maanshan nuclear power plant in the south of the country. Taiwan had thus phased out nuclear energy - a key promise of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) under President Lai Ching-te. The decision was prompted not least by the fatal consequences of the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, in 2011. However, following the referendum, Lai expressed his openness to advanced nuclear energy with improved technology and less nuclear waste.

Concerns about energy shortages

Around 20 million people over the age of 18 were eligible to vote. Only around 30 percent took part. The proposal for a referendum was put forward by the Taiwan People's Party. The opposition party justified this with the growing demand for electricity in the semiconductor industry as well as energy security due to tensions with China, which counts Taiwan as part of its territory and wants to bind it to itself.

Opponents of the referendum, such as the DPP and environmental organizations, see nuclear power plants on the island, which is regularly hit by earthquakes, as a safety risk. In addition, the issue of nuclear waste disposal remains unclear.

More green energy

Taiwan's nuclear energy era began in the 1970s. From 2018, old reactors were gradually taken off the grid. In 2024, 82.1 percent of Taiwan's electricity came from fossil fuels and 11.9 percent from renewable energy sources, according to the state energy supplier Taiwan Power Company. Through further expansion, the government aims to increase the proportion of energy from solar, wind, hydropower and geothermal energy to 30 percent by 2030.