TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan faces a critical juncture in its energy policy as the main opposition party prepares to champion nuclear power's future in the island nation. Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Legislator Ko Ru-chun (葛如鈞) announced plans on Friday (March 28) to review a draft of the "Nuclear Reactor Facilities Control Act" on Monday, pushing for extended operational lifespans of existing nuclear facilities while emphasizing that safety protocols would remain paramount in addressing Taiwan's escalating energy requirements.
The legislator pointed to diplomatic support for his position, noting that American Institute in Taiwan (AIT, 美國在台協會) Director Raymond Greene has recently reaffirmed Washington's backing for Taiwan's diverse energy portfolio, which encompasses geothermal resources, nuclear power generation, and modernized electrical grid systems. Ko emphasized that Taiwan would not be alone in reconsidering nuclear energy's role, as numerous developed nations including the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Sweden have pivoted toward embracing nuclear power as a pragmatic solution for achieving both energy stability and ambitious carbon reduction targets.
The nuclear debate has drawn significant business sector engagement, with Pegatron (和碩) Chairman Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) emerging as a prominent advocate during recent public hearings on Taiwan's energy future. The technology industry leader called for a fundamental reassessment of government energy policies in light of sobering projections from the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA, 經濟部), which anticipates electricity demand surging by 12 percent within the next five years as artificial intelligence applications and related technologies dramatically increase power consumption across the island's vital technology sector.
Taiwan's continued dependence on thermal power generation presents a troubling contradiction to its own Climate Change Response Act (氣候變遷因應法) objectives, Ko cautioned, highlighting an apparent disconnect between climate goals and energy realities. The KMT's legislative proposal seeks to align Taiwan with international standards by extending nuclear facility operational lifespans to a minimum of 60 years, a practice already established in numerous countries with advanced nuclear programs. Ko articulated a three-pillar approach to energy policy formulation — prioritizing safety considerations, economic viability, and responsiveness to public sentiment — while urging President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) administration to acknowledge what he characterized as majority support for nuclear power. The legislator concluded with a forceful assertion that nuclear energy represents not merely another power generation option but the strategic foundation of Taiwan's energy security and continued international economic competitiveness.