(MENAFN) Taiwan is set to hold a pivotal referendum next week that could overturn its 2016 commitment to a “nuclear-free homeland,” with voters deciding whether to restart the second reactor at the Maanshan nuclear plant in the island’s south.

Scheduled for August 23, the referendum will ask citizens if they support reactivating the Maanshan unit, which was taken offline in May as part of Taiwan’s nuclear phase-out strategy. The plant’s future hinges on safety assessments by authorities.

The measure was introduced by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on April 18, with strong backing from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT). Taiwan’s opposition-controlled local legislature approved the proposal on May 20, prompting the Central Election Commission to authorize the public vote.

To be ratified, the referendum must secure more than 25% of Taiwan’s 5 million eligible voters, with a majority of ballots cast in favor.

Pro- and anti-nuclear groups have launched intense campaigns and public demonstrations in the run-up to the vote, underscoring the divisive nature of the issue.

Nuclear energy once played a dominant role in powering Taiwan, generating over 50% of its electricity during the 1980s. However, by 2023, that figure had dropped to around 6% following the gradual decommissioning of the island's three nuclear plants, a process that began in 2018. Taiwan’s fourth nuclear facility was never completed, and a 2021 referendum rejected efforts to revive its construction.

Advocates argue nuclear power is vital for Taiwan’s energy security, particularly given its heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels and growing geopolitical tensions in the region.

They emphasize nuclear’s minimal carbon emissions and point to nations like Japan and some EU countries that have opted to extend the operational lifespan of their reactors.

Proponents argue that nuclear energy is essential for Taiwan, given its dependence on imported fossil fuels and the growing uncertainty in regional geopolitics.

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