TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Pegatron (和碩) Chairman Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢) and Taiwan People's Party (民眾黨) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) united Monday (Aug. 4) to champion a referendum extending Taiwan's third nuclear power plant operations. Tung condemned Taiwan's non-nuclear homeland policy as scientifically irrational and disconnected from global energy trends. The technology executive's backing represents significant corporate support for nuclear power advocates challenging Taiwan's current energy direction.
Referendum supporters, including the Kuomintang (國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, legislator Hung Hsiu-ling, nuclear expert Huang Shih-hsiu, and National Tsing Hua University (清華大學) Professor Yeh Tsung-kuang (葉宗洸), assembled for a strategic press conference Monday (Aug. 4). Tung argued Taiwan's energy policy requires fundamental restructuring, contending the anti-nuclear stance has systematically undermined energy security and industrial competitiveness. The controversial policy shift has simultaneously burdened citizens with escalating electricity costs across residential and commercial sectors throughout the island.
Huang Kuo-chang emphasized his party's leadership role in launching the referendum initiative across Taiwan's democratic landscape. He sharply criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (民主進步黨), Taiwan's ruling party, for alleged corruption and environmental damage stemming from their controversial green energy policies. The Taiwan People's Party chairman noted that Taiwan Power Company's (台電) mounting financial losses necessitated substantial taxpayer-funded subsidies and triggered four consecutive electricity price increases affecting millions of households.
Taiwan confronts simultaneous challenges from climate change impacts and complex energy transition demands, culminating in an Aug. 23 national referendum, a direct democracy mechanism, on restarting the third nuclear power plant. This pivotal decision will fundamentally reshape energy policy, national power security frameworks, regional economic development patterns, and local residents' welfare considerations. The referendum represents a critical juncture in Taiwan's energy future amid growing electricity demand and mounting environmental concerns across the island.
Taiwan's energy officials plan addressing power gaps from decommissioned nuclear facilities by replacing thermal power generation with renewable energy sources and multiple natural gas units. Thermal power replacement aims to reduce severe air pollution affecting Taiwan's densely populated urban centers. However, energy experts question new gas units' operational readiness, warning of potential power shortages this year, while Taiwan's renewable energy development has consistently fallen short of government projections and targets.
The Democratic Progressive Party has championed a non-nuclear homeland vision since assuming power, seeking to eliminate environmental threats and explosion risks from nuclear facilities. Public concerns intensified following Japan's devastating Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, accelerating Taiwan's nuclear phase-out timeline. Nuclear power generation has steadily declined, yet increased reliance on thermal power has generated severe air pollution, particularly affecting Taichung's industrial corridor, while driving electricity prices higher and triggering frequent blackouts that question Taiwan's power adequacy.
Taiwan's electricity demand surges alongside artificial intelligence computing requirements and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company production expansion, prompting industry leaders to advocate for nuclear power solutions. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto U.S. embassy, Director Raymond Greene observed twice this year that America could provide Taiwan diverse energy solutions, including nuclear power options. Greene suggested introducing advanced technologies like small modular reactors while helping address persistent nuclear waste storage challenges. ◼