Special vote on future of shuttered nuclear plant ends in surprising result: 'We will not rule out'

Although the majority of Taiwan residents voted in favor of reopening Taiwan's last nuclear plant by a vote of 4.3 million to 1.5 million, the motion needed the backing of at least one quarter of all registered electors to pass, which would have been about five million people, according to a report by Reuters.

The government of Taiwan is concerned about the safety of generating nuclear power and handling nuclear waste in Taiwan because the area is prone to earthquakes.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said that he understands the need for diverse energy options and said, "If in the future, the technology becomes safer, nuclear waste is reduced, and societal acceptance increases, we will not rule out advanced nuclear energy."

Like all energy sources, nuclear power has some risks, but the general perception of how much risk is involved is often inflated due to past disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima.

The reality is that, according to Our World in Data, nuclear energy is one of the safest forms of energy based on deaths per terawatt-hour of energy produced.

When taking nuclear energy into consideration, proponents of the technology say it is important to compare its risks to the risks of other energy sources, such as coal, which creates pollution linked to negative effects on human health and contributes to the warming of the planet, exacerbating extreme weather events, which disrupt the food supply.

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That's why many view nuclear energy as a reliable low-carbon power source that could be part of diversified sustainable energy solutions.

Advancements in technology are making nuclear power safer and more efficient, too. Molten salt reactors, for example, may solve some of the issues with nuclear fission, as they generate less long-lived nuclear waste.

Ultimately, proponents of reopening the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant in Taiwan say it would have provided Taiwan with its own power supplies, making it less reliant on imports.

How would you feel about a nuclear power plant being built near your home?

I'd be excited 😀