TSIA backs nuclear power restart review

• By Wen-Yee Lee / HSINCHU CITY, Reuters

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The Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association (TSIA) yesterday said it supports the government’s efforts to assess the possible restart of the nation’s nuclear power plants, citing the need for a stable and sufficient electricity supply to support the chip industry.

TSIA chairman Cliff Hou (侯永清), who is also a senior vice president at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said at the association’s annual convention that the industry had repeatedly called on the government to ensure a reliable power supply

“A stable and sufficient electricity supply is crucial to the semiconductor industry,” Hou said

Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association chairman Cliff Hou speaks during the association’s annual meeting in Hsinchu City yesterday.

Photo: Emily Lin, Taipei Times

The association’s board agreed to formally support the government’s plans to evaluate the restart of nuclear power plants, provided the process complied with regulations and met safety requirements, Hou said.

The TSIA’s members include major Taiwanese chipmakers such as TSMC, United Microelectronics Corp (聯電), Vanguard International Semiconductor (世界先進) and Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (力積電).

President William Lai (賴清德) said in an interview this month that his government would not rule out any form of energy, including nuclear power, as long as safety, nuclear waste disposal and public consensus requirements were met

“My position is very clear. We should not rule out any form of energy based on ideology,” Lai said.

Taiwan closed its last nuclear power plant in May last year as the government shifts to renewables and liquefied natural gas.

TSIA projected Taiwan’s semiconductor industry’s production value to surge 40.9 percent year-on-year to NT$9.1 trillion (US$280.1 billion) this year, compared with NT$6.5 trillion last year.