Lawmaker asks if Taiwan could restart nuclear plant amid Middle East war

Taipei, March 18 (CNA) Restarting nuclear power generation in Taiwan would have to follow established procedures, with the exception of an emergency order by the president, Nuclear Safety Commission chief Chen Min-jen (陳明真) said Wednesday.

Chen, who was at the Legislature to report on Taiwan's plans to restart the decommissioned No. 3 Nuclear Power Plant in Pingtung by 2028, was questioned by lawmakers about the possibility of doing so more quickly due to potential supply shortages from the Middle East.

Kuomintang (KMT) lawmaker Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆) noted that during the last presidential campaign, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Taiwan's decommissioned nuclear generators could be used in an emergency.

• Taiwan could re-start No. 3 nuclear plant in 2028: Minister

Lai asked whether the war in the Middle East and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz -- through which Taiwan receives about one-third of its natural gas imports -- would qualify as an emergency.

In response, Chen said restarting a nuclear power plant would have to follow the legally mandated process, beginning with a formal request by Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) and then an inspection by the Nuclear Safety Commission.

The only exception would be if President Lai were to issue an emergency order, though even then, Chen said, there would still need to be a formal request and safety inspection.

Chen later told reporters that an emergency order would only allow the plant to run for two to three months, though he did not say what conditions the plant would have to meet to begin operations.

As for whether the current situation qualified as an emergency, "that is for my superiors to judge," Chen said.

Energy supply

In 2025, natural gas accounted for almost half of Taiwan's energy generation, and about one-third of that was imported from Qatar through the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently closed to most vessels.

Earlier this month, the government said Taiwan's energy supply for March was secure because the country's oil reserves exceed 100 days and natural gas inventories remain above the legal minimum of 11 days.

Economic Affairs Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said back-up coal-fired generating units could also be used as a "last resort" in April if the Middle East war continued and natural gas supply became difficult.

Nuclear power, which accounted for 19 percent of Taiwan's power generation in 2011, was phased out completely last year as part of the government's goal of achieving a "nuclear-free homeland."

While nuclear is likely not an option during the current supply crunch, the government has announced plans to restart the decommissioned No. 3 nuclear plant by 2028.

The policy reversal stems in part from fears of China blocking energy imports from reaching Taiwan in the event of a war, as well as from issues such as air pollution, emissions and their impact on climate change, and increased power demand from AI.

When running at capacity, the No. 3 plant's two generators can account for about 5.5-6 percent of Taiwan's total electricity generation.