Taiwan's Energy Future: President Lai Ching-te's Nuclear Shift Sparks Debate

President Lai Signals Potential Policy Change, Opening the Door to Advanced Nuclear Power in Taiwan.

In a recent interview with "Wealth Magazine," President Lai Ching-te discussed Taiwan's energy future, stating the government is not ruling out "advanced new nuclear power" generation. He emphasized that if the technology proves safer, with reduced nuclear waste, public acceptance would likely increase. This statement is perceived as a significant shift in the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) energy policy, sparking widespread discussion, and some criticism online in Taiwan.

The shift, however, prompted some online criticism. Some users on the online forum PTT, commented it's a "clean coal 2.0," a reference to a previous energy debate. Some also claimed it marks the beginning of a "new non-nuclear homeland."

Lai Ching-te: Taiwan Lacks Green Energy, But Doesn't Exclude New Nuclear Options

According to the "Commercial Times," President Lai noted that Taiwan's power reserve capacity will be sufficient until 2032, factoring in the electricity demands of AI. However, the primary challenge remains the "lack of green energy." To address the EU's carbon border tax and export pressures, the government is actively promoting diverse green energy sources, including geothermal, small hydropower, and hydrogen.