Taiwan May Restart Nuclear Power Plant in 2028, Minister Says
(Bloomberg) -- Taiwan may restart one of its atomic power plants in 2028 if safety reviews proceed smoothly, a government minister said, in another sign the island may reverse its anti-nuclear policy.
Restart procedures for the Maanshan facility may begin in early 2028 if it passes a safety review, and recommissioning plans are thorough and robust, the Taipei-based Commercial Times reported on Monday, citing Economic Minister Kung Ming-hsin.
The island’s government announced last week it would draft proposals to restart two nuclear power plants, including Maanshan. Taiwan Power Co., the operator of the facilities, is expected to submit recommissioning plans for them by March next year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a statement.
Taiwan made a decision to phase out nuclear power in 2016 and shut the last of its three plants, Maanshan, in May of this year. The moves to reopen facilities come as artificial intelligence spurs a boom in electricity demand and as atomic power enjoys growing global popularity with companies and governments looking to decarbonize.
The island is home to some of the world’s biggest chipmakers, who are increasingly demanding a clean and stable supply of electricity. Internationally, tech giants like Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google are signing agreements to secure atomic energy to fuel their power-guzzling data centers.
Nuclear power also seems to be increasingly acceptable to Taiwanese residents. About three-quarters of voters backed reopening Maanshan in a national referendum in August, but the result was discounted due to a poor turnout. Lawmakers on the island had earlier revised a bill to allow atomic plants to extend their licenses, opening a door to restarts.
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