Taiwan's Nuclear-Free Dream Meets a Harsh Reality
On May 17, 2025, Taiwan shut down the last operating reactor at its Maanshan nuclear power plant, completing its decades-long journey toward becoming Asia’s first fully nuclear-free country. The moment was historic, yet subdued. No grand celebration, no political fanfare. Just the quiet hum of a reactor winding down—a symbolic end to a technological era.
But as the lights dimmed at Maanshan, a harsher truth came into focus: Taiwan’s nuclear exit may solve one problem, but it leaves behind four much bigger ones—decommissioning, nuclear waste, carbon emissions, and renewable waste.
The Illusion of Closure
For years, the phrase “Nuclear-Free Homeland” has been a mantra in Taiwan’s political discourse—an article of faith embraced by successive governments and environmental movements. The policy appealed to a collective memory still haunted by Japan’s 2011 Fukushima disaster, which struck just across the East China Sea. In a densely populated, seismically active island like Taiwan, the logic was simple: Why take the risk?
But what was presented as an act of finality is, in fact, the start of a long and expensive process. Decommissioning Taiwan’s six nuclear reactors will take at least 25 years and cost over NT$2.4 trillion (USD $75 billion)—an estimate that doesn’t even account for inflation. As of now, there is no agreed-upon destination for high-level nuclear waste, no scalable plan for recycling aging solar panels or wind turbines, and no clear replacement for the base load once supplied by nuclear power.
A Global Nuclear Revival
Ironically, as Taiwan exits nuclear energy, much of the world is walking back in. At COP28, 21 nations, including the U.S., France, and Japan, pledged to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 in a bid to meet net-zero targets. Energy-hungry sectors like AI, which demands immense computational power and therefore electricity, are also driving this shift. Major tech firms like Amazon, Meta, and Google are now investing heavily in nuclear infrastructure to ensure long-term energy resilience.
Even Germany—long viewed as the gold standard for nuclear decommissioning—is showing signs of policy reversal amid soaring electricity prices. In Japan and Belgium, previously shuttered plants are being considered for restarts or life extensions.
Taiwan's Quiet Reversal
While the Taiwanese government marked May 17 as a victory for its anti-nuclear agenda, it had quietly passed a controversial amendment just four days earlier. The Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act was revised to allow existing reactors to apply for life extensions of up to 60 years, instead of the former cap of 40. This legal pivot opens the door for future administrations to reverse course—and many are eager to do so.
Prominent business leaders like Pegatron’s T.H. Tung (童子賢) have likened the previous nuclear restrictions to a “monkey’s headband,” stifling Taiwan’s industrial potential. Professors from Taiwan’s top universities have warned that without nuclear power, energy prices could soar, foreign investment could retreat, and Taiwan’s semiconductor dominance—its “Silicon Shield”—could crumble.
Energy Democracy or Energy Anxiety?
Yet, public opinion is far from settled. One survey cited in a recent field study found that while 70% of respondents supported nuclear energy, fewer than 20% understood how it works. In this information vacuum, both camps—pro and anti-nuclear—have shouted past each other, framing the debate in binary moral terms rather than shared national interests.
There is a growing realization that technical issues like grid stability, energy pricing, and climate mitigation cannot be resolved through slogans or referenda alone. They demand something much harder: an informed, patient, and inclusive public conversation.
The Taiwanese government has signaled the launch of a public “energy information platform” to improve civic understanding. That’s a start. But if it’s to avoid energy populism—where fear, misinformation, and ideology dictate energy policy—it must go further, and invite real deliberation.
The Cost of Denial
Taiwan is not facing an energy apocalypse. But it is entering a phase of deep uncertainty. Without nuclear energy, its carbon emissions risk spiking. Without new baseload sources, electricity prices will likely rise. And without consistent policy direction, companies will simply pack up and leave.
One senior energy official was candid: “You can’t build the next TSMC on unstable, expensive electricity.” That’s the bottom line.
Conclusion: Post-Nuclear Means Post-Illusion
Becoming nuclear-free was never going to be the final chapter. It was only the end of the beginning. Taiwan now faces the real test: can it build a clean, reliable, and affordable energy future without nuclear power—or will it, like much of the world, come full circle?
If Taiwan is to succeed, it must move beyond slogans and into sober, democratic debate. The stakes aren’t just environmental—they are existential.
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