What happens when the lights of a nuclear plant go out, but the debate burns brighter than ever? Taiwan just found out.
Over the weekend, a referendum on restarting the Ma’anshan Nuclear Power Plant fell short.
About 4.3 million voters said “yes,” while 1.5 million said “no.”
But the law demands five million “yes” votes—and without that magic number, the plan fizzled.
This leaves Taiwan in a tricky spot. The island shut down Ma’anshan in May, ending its era of nuclear energy and leaning even harder on imported fossil fuels.
That means homes, factories, and the world-leading chip industry all depend on energy that Taiwan doesn’t produce itself.
What’s The Risk?
They argue nuclear is essential for energy security.
But President Lai Ching-te’s Democratic Progressive Party isn’t budging without answers to two big questions: Is it safe, and what happens to the waste?
“Nuclear safety is a scientific issue, and one that cannot be resolved through a single vote,” Lai reminded reporters after the result.
Interestingly, a recent survey showed nearly two-thirds of Taiwanese would support restarting the plant if safety concerns were cleared.
Still, critics shrugged off the referendum, saying it asked the wrong question in the first place.
So, Taiwan’s nuclear debate lives on—proof that sometimes, even when the ballot boxes close, the argument is far from over.
