Taiwan se enfrenta a un referéndum crucial: Reactivar reactor nuclear ante la demanda energética disparada por la IA

La isla se juega su futuro energético en las urnas mientras los servidores de inteligencia artificial devoran megavatios.

El dilema nuclear

Taiwán debate entre la herencia nuclear y el futuro digital. La demanda eléctrica se dispara un 15% interanual gracias a las granjas de servidores de IA—y la red cruje bajo la presión.

Los operadores de centros de datos compran energía como si fuese BNB en bull market—sin importar el costo. Mientras tanto, los votantes deciden si resucitan una planta nuclear que llevaba años en standby.

Resultado: o adaptarse o apagones. Y en finanzas, ya sabemos que los algoritmos no esperan a que solucionen la infraestructura.

Several countries have signaled renewed interest in nuclear energy

In the United States, former President Donald Trump has set a goal to quadruple nuclear capacity within the next twenty-five years. 

Germany’s coalition government is re-examining its plan to phase out the energy source. Japan, more than a decade after the Fukushima disaster, has begun restarting nuclear reactors and has even announced plans to build new facilities.

Foreign experts have asked Taiwan to consider a similar path. Over 95% of its current energy comes from imported coal, gas, and oil, leaving the island exposed if China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, were to cut off supplies.

Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington described energy as Taiwan’s “weakest link.” He argued that the island must extend the life of existing nuclear plants and strengthen its power grid to withstand potential crises.

Despite the policy shift, Taiwan has been struggling to ramp up renewable energy fast enough. In the first half of 2025, renewables produced just 13% of electricity, well short of the 20% target. Natural gas was the top source at 46.2%, after which coal was at 35%.

At the same time, electricity demand has been climbing sharply, driven in part by the global AI boom. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s biggest chipmaker, already consumes about 12% of all electricity used on the island and is rapidly building new capacity.

Power shortages have grown more common as TaiPower works to modernize its grid. To reduce losses, the government has raised electricity prices, which were long among the lowest worldwide.

Public opinion on nuclear power is changing

A survey by the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy Research found that 66.1% of people now support nuclear power to meet the 2050 net-zero goal, compared with 58.3% last year. 

Still, enthusiasm for restarting old reactors is limited. The same study noted less support for extending the lifespan of aging plants. Even President Lai has hinted at openness to exploring new nuclear technologies, though he remains firmly opposed to bringing the Maanshan unit back online.

The referendum’s outcome will be valid for only two years, meaning bureaucratic hurdles could still delay any restart. Within Taiwan, much of the debate has shifted away from security and toward the economy and environment.

Business leader Tung Tzu-hsien, founder of electronics maker Pegatron and an advisor on climate policy, warned that shutting nuclear plants has come at a steep cost. In a televised debate, he criticized the reopening of coal-fired plants as a stopgap, calling it “absurd” and accusing the DPP of weakening Taiwan’s standing on carbon emissions.

He warned that an inappropriate energy mix may hurt Taiwan in the long-term especially due to the adoption of carbon taxes worldwide.

Join Bybit now and claim a $50 bonus in minutes