Nuclear-Free Referendum Fast-Tracked to Second Reading; Anti-Nuclear Coalition Criticizes 'Repeated Votes as a Joke'

(Taipei, April 14, CNA reporter Chang Hsiung-feng) The Legislative Yuan session today voted to fast-track the Kuomintang's (KMT) proposal to abolish the nuclear-free homeland referendum directly to second reading, referring it to negotiations between ruling and opposition party caucuses. The Anti-Nuclear Platform criticized the move as treating referendums as a joke, lacking any professional evaluation, and called for energy policies to be grounded in scientific rationality and democratic procedures.

The KMT recently stated that, in light of industrial development and future electricity demands, Taiwan must avoid an energy crisis. The party will propose a party-backed nuclear energy referendum to reflect public expectations for stable power supply and energy security, aligning with its long-standing pragmatic energy policy of 'using nuclear power to nurture green energy.' Today, during the Legislative Yuan session, the proposal was fast-tracked to second reading and referred to cross-party caucus negotiations.

The National Anti-Nuclear Action Platform issued a press release today, warning that Taiwan is likely to face its fourth national nuclear referendum by year-end. It criticized the repeated referendums as 'repeated votes that burden the public and waste resources,' treating referendums as a farce.

The Platform pointed out that since Taiwan shut down its last nuclear power plant on May 17, 2025, over a year has passed without nuclear power, during which electricity supply has remained stable and air pollution has continued to decline. This, it said, has already debunked the pro-nuclear camp's long-standing scare tactic that 'Taiwan will face power shortages without nuclear energy.'

The Platform urged that if nuclear energy is to be seriously reconsidered as part of national energy development, formal legislation, budget proposals, and feasibility assessments should be introduced for public discussion—rather than irresponsible, hasty proposals that squander taxpayer money on ineffective referendums.

It further noted that the current proposal lacks any professional evaluation on critical issues: what percentage of nuclear power would be appropriate, the time and cost required, the safety of restarting reactors, where to store nuclear waste, and whether there is a practical nuclear disaster response plan.

The Anti-Nuclear Platform emphasized that energy policy must be based on scientific rationality and democratic process, not political manipulation or populist votes that divide society. What Taiwan needs, it said, is a decentralized, safe, and more resilient green energy future. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150714

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