Taiwan’s last operating commercial nuclear power plant was completely shut down at midnight on 17 May, fulfilling the government’s promise to make the Asian nation “nuclear-free”.

The Maanshan-2 nuclear power plant in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan, was disconnected from the nation’s power grid at 22.00 local time and stopped operating at 24.00, state-run Taipower said.

The removal of the fuel rods from the reactor core was expected to start on 19 May and last one to two weeks, the company said.

Maanshan-2, a 938-MW pressurised water reactor unit, began commercial operation in 1985. Taipower shut down the Maanshan-1 nuclear power plant, a 936-MW PWR that began commercial operation in 1984, in July 2024.