Taiwan has made a significant shift in its energy strategy by passing a groundbreaking law that lifts restrictions on nuclear power plants and allows for the reactivation of previously decommissioned reactors.
At a Glance
- Taiwan’s legislature passed a bill extending nuclear plant licenses by 20 years
- The move responds to growing energy demand from chip and AI sectors
- Decommissioned reactors may restart, pending 3.5-year safety reviews
- The shift reduces reliance on volatile fossil fuel imports\
- Taiwan’s last active reactor still scheduled to close on May 17
Policy U-Turn
Taiwan has just jolted its energy playbook with a landmark legislative move, lifting the cap on nuclear plant operations and reopening the door to previously decommissioned reactors. The seismic shift is embedded in a newly approved bill that allows nuclear licenses to be extended by 20 years beyond their original 40-year limit.
Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu declared the decision necessary to accommodate Taiwan’s spiraling energy needs, driven by the island’s dominance in semiconductor and artificial intelligence manufacturing. The policy aims to both stabilize the power grid and reduce dependency on imported liquefied natural gas, a resource highly susceptible to global geopolitical disruptions.
Watch a report: Taiwan’s Nuclear U-Turn Explained.
Balancing Act
Premier Cho Jung-tai has signaled cautious support, indicating his cabinet won’t stand in the way of reactivating dormant nuclear units. However, any restart is contingent on completing a comprehensive safety review process expected to span 3.5 years, as projected by state-owned utility Taipower.
This long delay between policy and implementation reflects Taiwan’s effort to balance technological ambition with public safety and environmental stewardship. Although the nation remains committed to its final active reactor shutdown on May 17, the new legislation provides a legal path to revisit that timeline if safety criteria are met.
Public response is mixed, with Twitter commentators divided between praise for bold leadership and concern over safety and transparency. For some, the move represents a pragmatic adaptation to a shifting energy economy. For others, it’s a worrisome return to outdated infrastructure in the name of expedience.
Strategic Recalibration
The legislation marks Taiwan’s alignment with a global resurgence of interest in nuclear energy as a low-carbon, high-output power source in an era of accelerating climate crises. Countries from France to Japan are making similar bets, citing the reliability of nuclear power against the intermittent nature of renewables.
Yet Taiwan’s path is uniquely fraught: the island sits on multiple fault lines and faces ongoing threats from China, making energy autonomy a matter of national survival. Reintegrating nuclear assets could relieve short-term pressure but may complicate longer-term transitions to solar, wind, and hydrogen technologies.
Taiwan’s lawmakers appear to be gambling that technical oversight and phased timelines will prevent past mistakes, while positioning the island as an energy-resilient tech powerhouse. Whether this gamble pays off depends not just on engineering, but on diplomacy, disaster planning, and public trust.
