Taiwan has shut down the Maanshan-1 nuclear power plant, leaving the country with just one reactor unit in commercial operation, state-owned owner and operator Taipower said.

The closure of the 936-MW pressurised water reactor (PWR) unit in southern Taiwan comes amid a continuing debate among lawmakers about whether to extend the lives of the island’s nuclear facilities.

In 2023, nuclear accounted for about 6.9% of Taiwan’s electricity production, which is dominated by coal and liquified natural gas.

That share will now fall further with the shutdown of Maanshan-1. The only other plant online is the 938-MW Maanshan-2 PWR.