Protesters gathered in front of the Legislature on Wednesday morning to protest the potential reopening of nuclear power plants. Following recent electricity price hikes, Taiwan’s opposition party has suggested extending the service of nuclear power plants in Taiwan. 

Since assuming office, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has promoted the non-nuclear by 2025 policy. Taiwan’s first and second nuclear plants have entered the decommissioning stage, and the two units of the third nuclear plant are also expected to be shut down in July this year and May next year. However, due to recent energy price increases, opposition parties have proposed amending the law to extend the service of the second and third plants or even restarting the fourth nuclear power plant. This has sparked dissatisfaction among civil society groups.

The Green Citizens’ Action Alliance Secretary-General Tsui Su-hsin (崔愫欣) says she hopes that citizens can stand together on April 27 to show opposition to the nuclear plant reopening at the Legislature. Citizen groups argue that extending the service of old nuclear power plants should not proceed until nuclear safety concerns are clarified and nuclear waste disposal issues are resolved. They also urge all political parties in the Legislature to put aside their ideologies and jointly review the amendment of the nuclear power extension law.