Having shut down its last remaining nuclear plant Saturday, Taiwan is working to secure new imports of natural gas.
The Maanshan nuclear plant closed following the expiration of its 40-year operating license, fulfilling a promise by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of a “nuclear-free” Taiwan. Analysts say the move will make the country more reliant on imported fossil fuels and more exposed to spikes in the price of gas.
Already Taiwan is struggling to generate enough electricity, leading to recurrent blackouts and brownouts in recent years. To service its booming semiconductor industry, Taiwan will add 5 gigawatts of gas power to the grid this year, the equivalent of five nuclear reactors.
Liquefied natural gas imports are at a record high for this time of year, Bloomberg reports, with state-owned oil and gas company CPC seeking additional deliveries of natural gas. To keep up with growing demand, Taiwan may need to spend around $2 billion more each year on imported gas by the end of this decade.
Critics say the shift away from nuclear and toward natural gas will not only undermine Taiwan’s climate goals but also leave the island nation more vulnerable to a naval blockade in the event of a war with China. Taiwan has only 11 days of gas in storage, making it highly dependent on imports. In an April military exercise, China simulated a missile attack on a gas import terminal in Taiwan.
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