AmCham calls for stable, predictable energy supply in Taiwan

Taipei, June 10 (CNA) The American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham Taiwan) on Tuesday said its members are increasingly concerned about Taiwan's energy security amid the phase-out of nuclear power, stalled renewable development and surging demand from the tech sector.

"Our members ask for a more stable [and] predictable energy supply," AmCham Taiwan President Carl Wegner said at the launch of the business group's 2025 White Paper in Taipei.

Wegner noted that AmCham Taiwan's 500 member companies represent a wide range of industries and the group maintains a neutral stance on energy sources.

However, he urged the Taiwanese government to engage foreign businesses in discussions about its long-term planning, particularly on energy generation and pricing, to provide companies with greater investment confidence.

While the latest edition of the AmCham Taiwan White Paper emphasized regulatory reform, societal resilience and stronger U.S.-Taiwan ties, it also highlighted what it described as "structural challenges" in Taiwan's energy transition.

The paper warned that Taiwan's energy outlook faces growing uncertainty, with nuclear power phased out, coal use declining, gas development disrupted by global fuel volatility and delays in energy projects -- all raising concerns for power-intensive sectors like semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

In terms of renewable energy infrastructure, the paper also cited stalled renewable projects, fragmented oversight, and inconsistent policies as factors eroding investor confidence and, in some cases, prompting investment withdrawals.

According to AmCham Taiwan, energy has become the top concern its members believe the Taiwanese government should address over the next one to three years, rising from third place in 2023 to first in its latest business climate survey, conducted in late 2024 and published earlier this year.

"I think that signifies that all efforts need to be on ensuring adequate supply, transparent pricing, adequate notice of changes in pricing, so that those new industries of tomorrow can continue to flourish in Taiwan," AmCham Taiwan's Chairperson Dan Silver said at the same event.

"We believe that Taiwan's future role in the emerging industries of tomorrow depends on adequate supply of energy, locally," Silver said, adding that the Taiwanese government should "do whatever it can to sustain necessary energy supply for the growth of those industries."