Nvidia Urges Taiwan to Embrace Nuclear Power Ahead of Referendum
(Bloomberg) -- Nuclear power is an “excellent option” for Taiwan, as demand from energy-intensive artificial intelligence is set to skyrocket in the tech manufacturing hub, according to Nvidia Corp.
“Every society, every company, every individual will use AI,” Jensen Huang, chief executive officer of the American chip giant, told reporters at an impromptu briefing at an airport in Taipei on Friday. Nuclear, as well as solar and wind, are good options for the island, he said. “I really do hope that every form of energy will be explored.”
Taiwan shut it last nuclear power plant in May, the culmination of a decades-long retreat from atomic power. However, the island will hold a referendum on Saturday to decide whether to restart one of its reactors, potentially opening up a pathway for the government to reverse its anti-nuclear policy. A similar vote in 2021 narrowly cemented the closure of a separate plant.
Taiwan’s move to phase out atomic power bucks a global trend of countries getting more interested in nuclear as a way to decarbonize their electrical grids. The issue is critical for the island, given its small geographical size and relative lack of energy options, coupled with its role as a manufacturing hub for global technology companies including Apple Inc. that are keen to move to cleaner sources of energy.
Nvidia outlined plans in May to open an AI factory in Taiwan with Foxconn Technology Group. The plant will “not be the last,” said Huang, adding that these facilities will need energy.
©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
