Rajan Wilcox
Nuclear energy has been a controversial topic in Taiwan, with the country facing challenges in managing its spent nuclear fuel. The primary issue surrounding nuclear energy in Taiwan is the storage of spent fuel, which must be done in a manner that minimises radiation risks to the public, the environment, and national security. As of 2014, 16,852 fuel assemblies (3471 tons) were stored in spent fuel pools at three Taiwanese plants, with the pools at Chinshan and Kuosheng nearly filled to capacity. The public attitude towards nuclear energy in Taiwan has shifted significantly following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, with a growing anti-nuclear movement. Despite the benefits of nuclear energy in providing reliable electricity and strengthening energy security, concerns about the risks associated with nuclear power plants in earthquake-prone areas have led to protests and political debates over the years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Public opinion on nuclear energy | Divided |
| Number of operating nuclear power plants in 2025 | 3 |
| Total capacity of the plants | 5 GW |
| Percentage of electricity generated from nuclear power in 2025 | 4.7% |
| Number of fuel assemblies in 2014 | 16,852 |
| Weight of the fuel assemblies in 2014 | 3471 tons |
| Storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel | Water pools, dry storage, final disposal |
| Radiotoxicity level of 8 MtU of natural uranium | Produces 1 MtU of low-enriched uranium fuel |
| Time for the radiological toxicity of SNF to drop below the level of natural uranium | Hundreds of thousands of years |
| Time for HLW to undergo the same process | Thousands of years |
| Time for MAs transmutation | 300 years |
| Funds collected for the management of spent fuel and decommissioning | NT$196 billion (in 2009) |
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What You'll Learn
The future of Taiwan's spent nuclear fuel
Nuclear energy has been a part of Taiwan's electricity production since 1977. However, the future of Taiwan's spent nuclear fuel is uncertain, with the country facing challenges in managing radioactive waste and public opposition to nuclear power.
Public opinion on nuclear energy in Taiwan has shifted significantly following incidents such as the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011 and the fear that an earthquake could cause a release of radioactivity. These concerns led to the prevention of the commissioning of Lungmen, the fourth constructed nuclear plant, in 2014. The 2016 elections were won by a party that included phasing out nuclear power as a key platform promise.
Taiwan's spent nuclear fuel problem is primarily due to the difficulty in storing spent fuel safely and securely. Spent fuel must be stored in sites that minimise radiation risks to the public and the environment, and national security must also be considered. The storage capacity of used fuel pools has been an issue in Taiwan for many years, and the pools at the Chinshan and Kuosheng nuclear power plants were nearly full as of 2015.
To address the spent nuclear fuel issue, Taiwan has explored various strategies, including interim storage, wet storage, on-site dry storage, and final disposal. Taiwan has also considered reprocessing and recycling spent nuclear fuel, with France offering to take away and recycle Taiwan's spent fuel. However, this plan was derailed by French bureaucrats.
Taiwan's nuclear phase-out policy, aimed at achieving a nuclear-free homeland by 2025, has resulted in the decommissioning of several nuclear power plants, including Chinshan, Kuosheng, and Maanshan. As of May 2025, Taiwan's last active nuclear reactor, Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant Unit 2, has been decommissioned. However, lawmakers passed legislation in May 2025, allowing for potential license extensions of decommissioned plants under new review procedures.
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The risks of storing spent nuclear fuel
Taiwan has three operational nuclear power plants, with a fourth constructed plant that has not been commissioned. In 2014, there were 16,852 fuel assemblies (3471 tons) being held in spent fuel pools at these plants. As of 2015, the spent fuel pools at two of the plants, Chinshan and Kuosheng, were nearly full.
Storing spent nuclear fuel comes with several risks. Firstly, the radioactivity of the fuel decreases very slowly, and it will take a few hundred thousand years for its radiological toxicity to drop below the level of natural uranium. High-level waste (HLW) will require several thousand years to undergo the same process. This means that spent nuclear fuel must be stored in sites that minimise radiation risks to the public and the environment. Additionally, national security must be considered when selecting storage sites, as attacks on stored spent fuel could pose serious threats to the country. There is a concern that Taiwan Power keeps many old fuel assemblies in above-ground storage, making them vulnerable to attack.
Another risk associated with storing spent nuclear fuel is the potential for accidents and the release of radioactivity. Taiwan has active seismic faults, and anti-nuclear environmentalists argue that the country is not suitable for nuclear plants due to the risk of earthquakes causing radioactive leaks. In fact, a power outage at the Maanshan unit in 2001 and the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan led to an anti-nuclear movement in Taiwan, with protests calling for the shutdown of nuclear power plants. The ageing of nuclear energy infrastructure further increases the risk of accidents.
The management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel also come with economic costs. While these costs do not drastically increase the price of electricity, they still represent a significant expense. Additionally, there is a risk that the costs of waste management could affect the willingness of other nations to engage in trade with Taiwan.
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The environmental impact of spent nuclear fuel
Spent nuclear fuel, also known as high-level radioactive waste, is the used fuel from nuclear reactors. It consists of small fuel pellets in long metal tubes called rods, which are highly radioactive. Initially, these rods must be stored in specially designed pools of water, which help to cool the fuel and shield radiation. Over time, the radioactivity of nuclear waste decreases through a process called radioactive decay. After 40 years, the radioactivity of spent fuel decreases to about one-thousandth of its original level. However, it will still be hazardous for tens of thousands of years, posing a significant threat to future generations.
The safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste is technologically possible, with international scientific consensus on deep geological repositories. However, the transport of this waste poses an unacceptable risk to people and the environment. In the United States, more than 2,500 shipments of spent fuel have been transported across the country over the last 55 years without any radiological releases or harm to the public. These shipments are designed to withstand more than 99% of vehicle accidents, including water immersion, impact, punctures, and fires.
The storage of spent nuclear fuel is a particular issue in Taiwan due to the country's geographical limitations and the presence of active seismic faults. As of 2015, the spent fuel pools at two of Taiwan's three nuclear plants were nearly full, and the country has explored the use of interim storage facilities until a permanent disposal solution can be determined. The selection of storage sites must consider the risk of attacks, as well as radiation risks to the public and the environment.
Public opinion towards nuclear energy in Taiwan has shifted drastically following the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, with increasing opposition to the construction of new nuclear power plants and the extension of existing ones. The Taiwanese government has committed to a nuclear-free homeland by 2025, with the decommissioning of nuclear power plants to be completed within 25 years of obtaining the necessary permits.
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The cost of decommissioning nuclear plants
Taiwan has been decommissioning its nuclear power plants, with the last one being shut down in May 2025. The country has three nuclear power plants, which are owned and operated by the Taiwan Power Company (TPC). TPC plans to decommission all nuclear power plants by 2025, with the first one, Chinshan, beginning decommissioning in 2019. The market potential for Taiwan's nuclear power decommissioning is estimated at around $510 million.
One of the major costs associated with decommissioning nuclear plants is the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. Spent fuel must be stored and monitored in specialized facilities to ensure the safety and security of the public and the environment. In Taiwan, the issue of spent nuclear fuel storage is particularly challenging due to the country's geographical limitations and the presence of active seismic faults.
Another cost factor is the dismantling and decontamination of the nuclear plant structures. This process can be complex and time-consuming, especially for older plants that may have been in operation for several decades. The decommissioning process must be carefully planned and executed to ensure the safe removal of all radioactive materials and the proper disposal of hazardous waste.
Additionally, the construction of interim storage facilities or the utilization of dry storage technologies can also incur significant costs. Taiwan's TPC, for example, will need to build indoor dry storage for each of its three nuclear power plants during the decommissioning process. Advanced technologies and expertise in this field may drive up the costs but can also provide safer and more efficient solutions.
Overall, the cost of decommissioning nuclear plants can be substantial, and it is often spread out over many years. The specific costs will depend on the unique circumstances of each plant and the methods chosen for decommissioning. Proper planning, safety assessments, and the utilization of advanced technologies can help ensure a successful decommissioning process while minimizing potential risks and negative impacts on the environment and public health.
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Public opinion on nuclear energy
Historically, nuclear energy has played a significant role in Taiwan's electricity production, with three nuclear power plants—Jinshan, Kuosheng, and Maanshan—providing up to 52% of the country's electricity in the 1980s. However, public sentiment towards nuclear energy began to shift following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011, which heightened global fears about the safety of nuclear power. This incident had a profound impact on public opinion in Taiwan, a densely populated island prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes. The fear of a potential nuclear accident led to the growth of an anti-nuclear movement, with protests against the construction of a fourth nuclear power plant and calls for the re-evaluation and shutdown of existing plants.
Opinion polls conducted by Taipower in the past indicated strong support for nuclear power, with close to 60% of interviewees in favour. Approval for nuclear power even jumped nearly 10% after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake in central Taiwan in 1999, possibly due to the recognition of the current insufficiencies in power generation systems and the belief that nuclear power could offer a solution. However, public trust in nuclear energy has been impacted by incidents of improper waste disposal, such as the use of contaminated steel in building construction in the 1980s, which exposed thousands of citizens to excessive radiation.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has been generally anti-nuclear, capitalized on the public sentiment after the Fukushima disaster, embedding its "nuclear-free homeland" policy into the national agenda. In 2014, 55% of people favoured dropping the Lungmen nuclear plant project, which was eventually suspended due to public safety concerns and political controversy. In 2016, the DPP introduced a policy to phase out nuclear energy, with a target of decommissioning all nuclear power plants by 2025. Taiwan's last nuclear reactor was shut down in May 2025, ending nuclear power's role in the country's electricity production.
Despite the phase-out of nuclear power, Taiwan has faced challenges in meeting its energy needs and reducing carbon emissions. The country has become increasingly reliant on fossil fuels, which has led to higher electricity costs and conflicts with the government's climate goals. There is strong public support for renewable energy sources, with 83.7% of Taiwanese respondents in a survey favouring options like solar, wind, and hydropower. However, the development of renewable energy sectors has underperformed, and a gradual transition to these sources is necessary to ensure a stable and sustainable energy system.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2014, there were 16,852 fuel assemblies (3471 tons) of spent nuclear fuel being held in spent fuel pools at three Taiwanese plants. By 2015, the spent fuel pools at Chinshan and Kuosheng were nearly full.
Taiwan has been working on novel spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management technologies. The reprocessing and recycling of SNF are alternatives to direct geological disposal. Taiwan has also considered recycling its spent nuclear fuel in France.
The primary issue with nuclear energy in Taiwan is the storage of spent fuel. Spent fuel must be stored in sites that minimize radiation risks to the public and the environment. Storage capacity has been an issue in Taiwan for many years.
