Taiwan’s Legislature Passes Bill Easing Restrictions On Nuclear Power

It looks like nuclear power is once again becoming popular not just in the U.S., but globally.

This morning it was reported that Taiwan’s legislature passed a bill Tuesday easing restrictions on nuclear power, signaling a policy shift driven by rising energy needs and growing geopolitical tensions, according to Bloomberg.

The amended law allows nuclear plants—previously capped at 40 years of operation—to renew licenses for up to 20 years at a time, either before or after expiration, according to Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu.

Energy security has become critical for Taiwan as it struggles to reduce reliance on nuclear power while meeting the soaring demands of its chip industry and managing dependence on imported fossil fuels amid escalating pressure from Beijing.

Bloomberg writes that just days before Taiwan’s last reactor is set to shut down on May 17, lawmakers passed a bill signaling a potential return to nuclear power. While the closure will proceed, the move reflects a global shift back to nuclear energy as a low-carbon solution to rising demand.

Premier Cho Jung-tai said his cabinet wouldn’t oppose restarting decommissioned reactors if the law passes, but safety reviews—estimated at 3.5 years by state-owned Taipower—would delay any restarts.

Reviving nuclear power could reduce Taiwan’s dependence on imported liquefied natural gas, which is vulnerable to disruption amid rising tensions with Beijing, and help meet a projected 13% increase in power demand by 2030, driven by AI growth.

As we have continued to report, accelerating power demand growth from AI data centers has sparked a nuclear power revival in the US.

For those who missed it, in our note „The Next AI Trade” from April 2024, more than one year ago, we outlined various investment opportunities for powering up America, most of which have dramatically outperformed the market since then.