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Government considering removing Taipower boss

The Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is considering whether to remove the chairman of state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電), as the company’s board of directors failed to agree to a Cabinet decision last Friday to appoint its two candidates.

The MOEA said it would conduct an investigation, led by Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Hsieh Fa-dah (謝發達), in the next two weeks to determine whether Taipower chairman Edward Chen (陳貴明) failed to fulfill his obligation as a government representative to execute the Cabinet’s policy, or whether he purposely disobeyed orders.

Premier Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) approved the promotion of Huang Fu-yuan (黃傅源) and Lee Han-shen (李漢申) to become vice presidents at the firm on March 21. However, Taipower’s board of directors did not approve the appointments during their board meeting last Friday.

“The board of directors’ decision was not based on the candidates personally, but whether the Cabinet had the right to make such an approvement as the Central Election Committee has ordered a freeze on all personnel changes until [the presidential inauguration on] May 20,” Huang Huei-yu (黃惠予), a deputy director of Taipower’s public affairs division, said by telephone yesterday.

It is the legal issue that needs to be clarified first, she said.

The company’s remarks were in response to media speculation that Chen disapproved of the appointment of Huang Fu-yuan, who has close ties with the outgoing Democratic Progressive Party government.

Taipower originally announced only one vacancy. The company nominated Lee to fill the position but the government later decided to promote Huang as well.
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