Nuclear power plant revival is a misconception
Taiwan's Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant Remains in Legal Limbo
The future of Taiwan's Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, which has been shut down since 2014, remains uncertain due to a lack of a clear legal framework for reactivation. The plant's operating licenses expired in 2024 (Unit 1) and 2025 (Unit 2), and both reactors are currently in the decommissioning phase.
The absence of a legal basis for resuming operations at Ma-anshan is primarily due to the removal of Article 16 from the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act. This article outlined safeguards for reactivation applications, and its elimination has left a gap in the regulatory process.
Any attempt to reactivate the plant would be considered a new administrative act, requiring fresh environmental and safety assessments rather than a simple extension of the old license. Even a successful referendum, such as the one scheduled for August 23, would not automatically restart the plant but would trigger a comprehensive safety review process. The specifics of this review process, however, remain unclear.
In the meantime, Taiwan is expanding its gas-fired power capacity and renewable energy installations to compensate for the nuclear shutdowns and maintain a stable electricity supply.
The ongoing debate over the Ma-anshan plant's future is not just limited to legal concerns. Environmental groups and experts have raised safety concerns, with Shieh Jyh-cherng, chairman of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union, voicing his opposition. Some, like Yeh Tsung-kuang, dean of the College of Nuclear Science at National Tsing Hua University, have suggested restarting the plant as a solution to the power shortage problem.
The controversy over the Ma-anshan plant is not unique. In 2016, Asia Cement Corp faced similar legal challenges when attempting to extend its mining operation license in Hualien County. The lack of a clear regulatory framework for reactivating decommissioned nuclear power plants adds to the complexity of the issue.
Navigating the safety review procedures for the Ma-anshan plant would be a complex task, and it may not be realistically completed in a year, even if the August 23 referendum passes. As of mid-2025, Taiwan Power Company has no concrete or legally supported plan to reactivate Ma-anshan.
- The uncertainty surrounding the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant's future could potentially impact the health-and-wellness of the Taiwanese population, as the plant's closure leaves a gap in the country's energy production.
- The environmental-science community has voiced concerns about the safety of reactivating the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, echoing debates seen in other sectors such as the mining industry when extending operation licenses.
- The political landscape in Taiwan is not devoid of this issue, with environmental groups, experts, and even deans of nuclear science universities, such as Yeh Tsung-kuang from National Tsing Hua University, expressing varying opinions on the plant's reactivation.
- As Taiwan struggles to maintain a stable electricity supply with the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant in a state of limbo, the finance sector may be indirectly affected, with potential investments in health-and-wellness, renewable energy, and environmental-science industries gaining increased attention.
