State of Ma-anshan Vote Detailed by CEC
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant referendum, held on Saturday, has failed to meet the necessary quorum, as the number of votes in favour of restarting the facility fell short of the required 5 million.
The referendum, which took place alongside the second wave of recall votes targeting seven KMT lawmakers, aimed to decide whether the power plant should continue operation upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation of no safety concerns. The question posed to voters was: "Do you agree that the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operation upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns?"
According to the Referendum Act, a person entitled to vote must have resided in the Republic of China for at least six consecutive months, be at least 18, and not be declared incompetent. With an eligible voter count of 20,002,091, translating to 5,000,523 votes for a majority to pass the referendum, the count fell short, with only about 4.34 million "yes" votes cast.
Premier Cho Jung-tai, who announced his intention to vote in the referendum, expressed his belief in science and stated that the government would follow procedures to conduct safety inspections at the power plant to ensure it would operate safely if the referendum passed. However, he also emphasized the importance of ensuring a proper disposal of nuclear waste and reaching a consensus on these critical issues.
The Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant ceased generating electricity in May, leaving Taiwan currently without any operating nuclear power facilities. The move to cease operations aligns with the Democratic Progressive Party's policy of phasing out nuclear power.
The Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang and Pegatron Corp chairman Tung Tzu-hsien supported an extension of the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant's service. President William Lai, on the other hand, announced that he would vote "no" in the referendum.
The recall votes targeted one lawmaker in New Taipei City, three in Taichung, one in Hsinchu County, and two in Nantou County. Despite the recall votes, none of the seven lawmakers involved are considered at risk of losing their seats.
The Nuclear Safety Commission would stipulate procedures that Taiwan Power Co should follow to conduct safety inspections at the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant facility. The TPP proposed the referendum in the legislature in April, and the bill passed in May with backing from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
The failure of the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant referendum raises questions over the resilience of Taiwan's electricity grid and cost efficiency. As the country moves towards a greener energy future, the decision not to restart the nuclear power plant may signal a shift in Taiwan's energy policy.
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