KMT legislator criticizes nuclear phaseout amid thermal energy spike

國民黨立委批評火力發電發展放緩導致核電逐步淘汰

Premier, environment minister say Taiwan will not face power shortages or air pollution surge


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling (翁曉玲) on Sunday criticized the government’s decision to phase out nuclear energy, citing a sharp increase in thermal power generation following the shutdown of Taiwan’s last nuclear reactor.

In a Facebook post, Weng noted that thermal energy accounted for 96.5% of Taiwan’s electricity load on Saturday night, the first night without nuclear power, per Tai Sounds. She urged the public to be cautious about potential declines in air quality during nighttime hours, particularly those who exercise in the evening or early morning.

Environmental group Climate Pioneers League echoed Weng’s concerns, warning that increased reliance on thermal energy could elevate the risk of lung cancer. The group’s founder, Taipower employee Yang Chia-fa (楊家法), cautioned that if renewable sources like wind and solar fail to meet demand, Taiwan may be forced to depend on thermal energy even during poor air quality conditions.

Thoracic surgeon Su Yi-fong (蘇一峰) supported the group’s concerns, citing studies linking air pollution to rising lung cancer cases in Taiwan. Yang also pointed out that Saturday saw the highest utilization of nearly all forms of thermal power in May, prompting Penghu to boost its power output to support the national grid, per UDN.

Retired National Tsing Hua University Professor Li Min (李敏) warned that Taiwan risks becoming overly reliant on fossil fuels and called for a return to nuclear energy.

However, environmental engineering Professor Tsuang Ben-jei (莊秉潔) of National Chung Hsing University opposed the idea, emphasizing that Taiwan’s geographic size makes it especially vulnerable to the consequences of a nuclear disaster. He argued for continued investment in cleaner thermal power, particularly natural gas.

In response to public concerns, Taipower said that Taiwan’s thermal generation has become cleaner in recent years and that new power generators will be online before summer, per PNN.

Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) reassured the public that Taiwan will not face power shortages or worsening air quality due to the nuclear phaseout, per ETtoday. Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) said Saturday that the retirement of nuclear energy will have minimal impact on air quality, though the government will consider reducing thermal generation in the event of significant air pollution, per UDN.