In Taiwan, the shutdown of the last nuclear reactor does not end the debate

For Mr. Chen, the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant is part of the landscape. Originally from Hengchun, in the south of the island of Taiwan, this resident has never missed a visit to Nan Wan, a small bay overlooking the ocean, located a few minutes from his hometown. And for as long as he can remember, its fine sand beach has always been dominated by the active power plant.

Yet, this Saturday, May 17, it stopped producing electricity. After forty years of operation, the site's last operating reactor was shut down, much to the dismay of Mr. Chen, who worked there. "I have benefited greatly from the plant, I can only be in favor," says the 50-year-old, who wished to give only his last name.

Maanshan, also known as "NPP 3" (Nuclear Power Plant 3), is, as its name suggests, Taiwan's third nuclear power plant. In recent years, these sites have been closed one after the other following the expiration of their forty-year operating licenses. This policy has been pursued by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the ruling party since 2016. Its long-standing slogan has been to make Taiwan "a nuclear-free nation." In a 2018 referendum, the Taiwanese expressed their desire to retain nuclear power on the island. However, the following year, the government of the day decided not to extend the operating licenses.

Following the shutdown of the first two power plants, the first reactor of the "NPP3" ceased operations, as planned, in July 2024. The shutdown of the second reactor on May 17th marks the closure of the site and Taiwan's exit from civil nuclear power. The government of the self-governing island is the first in Asia to make this decision. It is only the third in the world after Italy and Germany.

Southern Taiwan is "green," the color associated with the DPP. In the last presidential election, in 2024, the party's victorious candidate, William Lai, garnered 47 percent of the vote in the region. But when nuclear power is mentioned, Hengchun residents voice their disagreement. "I'm very disappointed with the politicians," says Chen, who still hasn't gotten over the "betrayal" of the 2018 referendum.

Met near the bay where the power plant is located, the man, with graying hair and thin rectangular glasses on his nose, talks about his attachment to the place, which allowed him to find a job while remaining in his hometown, where he has his entire family. He describes his missions, his colleagues who have become friends. Above all, he affirms his certainty that the site is safe, despite health concerns that he attributes to his daily contact with radiation.

Now, he observes his former workplace from afar. Since deciding to leave the company that employed him at the complex in November, he has been helping his wife, who runs a hostel in the bay, which they own. It faces the ocean, which on this May afternoon is a deep blue. While tourists come to enjoy the waves and sunbathe under the shade of parasols, the two characteristic domes of Maanshan stand out nearby. "Many people will lose their jobs following the decommissioning of the power plant," predicts the former employee, with a somber expression.

At the Hengchun market, amidst the fruit, vegetable, and fish stalls, people are also regretting the closure of the "NPP3" and are worried. "It's not reasonable to do without this energy. I'm afraid our bills will increase," fears Xin Ru Jiang, in the shade of his flower stall. Among other benefits, he and the residents around the power plant benefit from discounts on the price of electricity.

The end of nuclear power also raises fears of an impact on the Taiwanese economy, driven by the tech sector. This sector is increasingly demanding electricity. Faced with the DPP's anti-nuclear policy, the KMT, the opposition party, is warning of possible energy shortages. This catastrophic scenario is rejected by Taipower, Taiwan's public electricity supplier.

"The current policy of shutting down nuclear power plants while transitioning to renewable energy promotes the sustainable development of technology companies and Taiwan's energy resilience," said researcher Tsai-Ying Lu, director of the Climate Resilience Program at DSET, a government-funded think tank. She said that despite a current energy mix largely comprised of imported liquefied natural gas (42.4%) and coal (39.3%), and the delayed development of renewable energy (27.9%), Taiwan could still achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This is an achievable goal while meeting the growing needs of tech companies.

This does not prevent a new interest in nuclear power within Taiwanese public opinion, which is reaching even the DPP government. A real turnaround since the Fukushima disaster in Japan in 2011 had a profound impact on the island. "The closure of the last reactor is a happy outcome for the anti-nuclear movement," rejoiced the president of Tepu, Shin-Min Shih, an association at the forefront of this mobilization, "but the fight is not over."

Indeed, on May 13, just days before the shutdown of Maanshan Reactor 2, the KMT passed a law extending the operating licenses for power plants. The maximum time allowed by Taiwanese law to operate a reactor was increased from 40 to 60 years, opening up the possibility of restarting nuclear activity if a government so decided. But for expert Tsai-Ying Lu, it would then take three to five years to restart these sites. "Whether in terms of cost or time, it will be very difficult for Taiwan to consider restarting the power plants," she summarizes. The debate on nuclear power nevertheless remains open. In Hengchun, the "NPP3" is not likely to disappear from the landscape anytime soon.