TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan will decommission its final operating nuclear reactor on May 17, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said Tuesday, asserting the nation’s power grid has sufficient reserve capacity to meet demand through at least 2032.
Citing figures from the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Cho said reserve capacity is projected to be around 10% during daytime peak hours and 7% at night, without the second reactor at the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant in operation, per Newtalk. He added that new generating units at Datan, Sun Ba, and Hsinta power plants, along with growing investment in renewable energy and grid resilience, will ensure continued power supply for both existing consumption and future tech-sector growth.
However, experts have raised concerns about the impact of retiring nuclear energy on Taiwan’s energy security and carbon emissions.
National Tsing Hua University professor Tsung Kuang-yeh (葉宗洸) noted that although nuclear energy accounts for just 4.2% of Taiwan’s overall generation capacity, it plays a crucial role as a stable, carbon-free baseload power source, per UDN. He warned that renewables like solar and wind, while clean energy sources, cannot provide constant output, potentially forcing Taiwan to rely more on coal-fired generation to fill the gap.
UDN reported that denuclearization increases Taiwan’s dependence on imported fuels, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), an issue underscored by recent Chinese military drills simulating an attack on Taiwan’s LNG infrastructure.
Tsung also pointed to Taiwan’s continued use of coal-fired units at the Taichung Thermal Power Plant and reserve generators at Hsinta as evidence of insufficient baseload capacity. He said that, without nuclear energy, Taiwan may be forced to expand its reliance on higher-emission energy sources.
Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) questioned Nuclear Safety Commission (NSC) Chair Chen Min-jen (陳明真) on Thursday over his past assessments of Taiwan’s energy policy, per CNA. In a 2022 opinion, Chen warned that Taiwan’s slow progress in renewable development, combined with the decommissioning of nuclear and some thermal plants, could destabilize the power grid.
Chen responded that his concerns at the time reflected incomplete planning, particularly regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment for a proposed LNG terminal in Keelung. He added that postponing the nuclear phaseout to 2035 could ease pressure on the grid.
Chen also expressed concern over a long-term talent drain at Taipower and the NSC, potentially impacting Taiwan's future development in the nuclear power industry.
In response to air quality concerns, MOEA Minister Kuo Jyh-huei (郭智輝) said that while thermal power will soon make up 84% of Taiwan’s electricity supply, most will come from relatively cleaner natural gas, per UDN. He said that, paired with renewable development, the nuclear phaseout should not significantly worsen air quality.
Meanwhile, residents of Lanyu Island, where Taiwan's nuclear waste is currently stored, have renewed calls to remove the material, possibly to the soon-to-be-retired Maanshan plant, per PNN. Local Indigenous communities noted that past Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administrations had promised relocation and conducted investigations into the original decision to store waste on the island.
Taiwan Citizen Participation Association Executive Director Ho Tsung-hsun (何宗勳) said it is unjust for the Taiwanese public to benefit from nuclear energy while leaving hazardous waste with Lanyu’s Indigenous people.
