TSMC could use nuclear power for chip manufacturing, if Taiwan laws are revised

Taiwanese lawmakers are reconsidering the current regulations of nuclear power in the country that would heavily help TSMC.

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TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) consumes most of the power generated in Taiwan, with the Taiwanese national legislature, the Executive Yuan, showed willingness to change laws after the new economic minister succeeding Weng Mei-hua, J.W. Kuo, said in the Executive Yuan that he thought nuclear energy was a clean power source.

The outgoing government has been stalling the increase of the share of nuclear power on Taiwan's national power grid, with data from national regulator TaiPower showing nuclear power makes up less than 7% of Taiwan's total energy. The recent comments regarding nuclear power regulation changes were made by outgoing NDC minister, Kung Ming-hsin, just as his government was handing power over to its successors.

Ming-hsin will take a new role at the Taiwanese legislature, responding to comments made by the current opposition regarding the incoming minister Kuo, and his belief that nuclear energy is environmentally frriendly. Ming-hsin said that the Taiwanese government could change the rules regarding nuclear energy's share in Taiwan's power mix if there was enough public support.

TSMC consuming most of the power generated in Taiwan has seen the country generating more and more power, with members of the NDC stressing that demand for AI semiconductors has severly complicated Taiwan's efforts to produce more electricity using sustainable needs.

Taiwanese lawmakers have set a 20% target for renewable energy share in the grid, according to data from TaiPower for the end of 2023, but fell short: just 10.5% of energy in Taiwan was produced by renewable energy, with 6.5% additional power coming from nuclear power.