TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipower Chair Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) confirmed on Wednesday that both the Kuosheng and Maanshan Nuclear Power Plants meet the basic conditions for reopening evaluations.
Tseng said initial assessments show both plants have the potential to restart, and the evaluations are currently under review by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, per UP Media. He added that Taipower’s current priorities include building a dry-storage facility at Kuosheng and carrying out major maintenance work at Maanshan.
Tseng explained that while Taipower has begun inspecting equipment outside the nuclear island of Kuosheng plant, internal inspections cannot begin until fuel rods are removed from the reactor core, per Economic Daily News. The company is coordinating with equipment suppliers to schedule key facility checks, per CNA.
Economic Affairs Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said on Tuesday that the ongoing evaluations focus on whether the plants are suitable for reopening. He added that detailed cost estimates for reactivation would be presented in a later stage, per Knews.
Kung said both plants would be reopened simultaneously, though on different timetables. The ministry will announce its decision on whether Taipower can proceed with safety inspections and submit reopening plans to the Nuclear Safety Commission in December.
Opposition to the potential reopening remains strong. Northern Coast Anti-Nuclear Action Coalition member Kuo Ching-lin (郭慶霖) argued that Kuosheng, having been officially decommissioned, no longer meets the criteria for reactivation, per UDN. He said the government should not rely on aging nuclear plants to compensate for delays in Taiwan’s energy transition.
Taiwan Environmental Protection Union Chair Liu Chih-chien (劉志堅) urged the government to prioritize renewable energy instead of reviving old nuclear facilities, per UDN.
Local governments, meanwhile, have emphasized public safety. The New Taipei City Government said safety and stability remain the top concerns for residents, while the Pingtung County Government called for comprehensive safety inspections.
Hengchun Mayor Yu Shih-ching (尤史經) voiced local support for reopening the nearby Maanshan plant, saying he trusts the government’s safety evaluations. Mudan Township Mayor Pan Chuang-chih (潘壯志) said his township would support reopening if the plants pass inspection.
However, borough chiefs near the Kuosheng plant reiterated that local communities will not accept a restart without thorough safety assessments and clear guarantees for residents.
