Taiwan’s President Lai Backs Nuclear Restart Plans While Maintaining Green Energy Targets

Taiwan’s President William Lai made a major shift in energy policy on March 21, 2026, announcing plans to restart two nuclear power plants. He made the announcement at a business gathering in Taichung hosted by The Entrepreneurs Club. The move reverses Taiwan’s earlier plan to go completely nuclear-free by 2025.

The two plants chosen are Guosheng No. 2 in New Taipei City’s Wanli District and Ma-anshan No. 3 in Pingtung County’s Hengchun Township. Taiwan Power Company, known as Taipower, did early evaluations and found both plants can be restarted. Ma-anshan could be back online as early as 2028, while Guosheng could follow in 2029.

Taipower’s plans are set to be submitted to the Nuclear Safety Commission by the end of March 2026. Safety inspections are expected to take between 1.5 and 2 years, with a report due to the commission by mid-2027. GE Aerospace and Westinghouse Electric will help Taipower with those safety audits. Westinghouse has already started generator checks at Ma-anshan.

Taipower also plans to order new fuel rods by the end of 2026, enough for at least 1.5 years of operation. Workers at Guosheng will begin removing fuel rods from the reactor core before the year ends too. The Nuclear Safety Commission will weigh nuclear safety, waste disposal, and public opinion before giving any approvals.

Taiwan’s energy situation is urgent. The island relies almost entirely on imported fossil fuels. Middle East conflicts have disrupted global supply lines. Natural gas reserves currently cover just 12 to 14 days, barely above the legal minimum of 11 days. Oil reserves cover more than 100 days. More oil and gas from the US is reportedly expected in June 2026.

Taiwan’s energy situation is critical, with natural gas reserves barely above the legal minimum of 11 days.

Lai’s Democratic Progressive Party had long pushed a nuclear-free policy, especially after Japan’s Fukushima disaster in 2011. Opposition parties had already been calling for nuclear energy to continue. Lai also pointed to AI-era power demands and the need for low-carbon electricity as key reasons for reconsidering nuclear energy. The Maanshan plant’s last reactor shut down in May of last year before being considered for restart eligibility. Looking ahead, Lai’s government is also exploring small modular reactors and fusion energy as part of its long-term low-carbon electricity goals.

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