Taiwan's nuclear regulator has cleared the way to restart the Maanshan (third) nuclear plant, good news for power-hungry chip and AI factories but still short of a final political decision.

• The safety review of the restart plan is done, and formal approval is expected shortly.
• Taipower can then begin checking equipment and bringing the plant back to working condition over this year and next.
• The opposition KMT says the ruling party's nuclear-free promise has collapsed and wants President Lai Ching-te to apologize.
• The ruling DPP says its position has not flipped, pointing to booming AI and semiconductor investment as the reason stable power now matters more.
• A referendum held alongside the coming election will ask voters whether to scrap the nuclear-free goal, and the government says safety, public agreement, and nuclear waste all still have to be settled.

Outlook: The restart plan will likely be approved within weeks, but whether the reactor actually runs again hinges on the referendum and a series of safety hurdles after it.