State-owned Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) yesterday said that it is preparing for one of its most challenging weeks, and urged the public to reduce electricity use.
Taipower recorded electricity consumption of 35.21 million kilowatts on Thursday, the second-highest in the nation’s history, after the nation saw daytime highs of more than 37°C for four consecutive days.
The number of days with such high temperatures — seven this month so far and all in Taipei — are the highest recorded since records began in 1897, Taipower said, citing Central Weather Bureau statistics.
The highest peak electricity consumption — 35.39 million kilowatts — was recorded on July 2 last year, on the second day of the nation’s annual three-day college entrance examinations, Taipower said.
Taipower expects power supplies to be tight from today through Sunday, when the operating reserve is expected to fall below 6 percent at peak times.
Taipower considers electricity supplies sufficient when the operating reserve ratio is at 10 percent or higher.
The public can help to reduce electricity consumption during peak hours — from 1pm to 3pm — by turning off lights and setting air conditioners at 28°C or higher, Taipower chief engineer Lan Hung-wei (籃宏偉) said.
Taipower is to reinstate the demand bidding measures first introduced last year, in an effort to curb the usage of big electricity consumers such as office buildings, hotels and schools.
The power company also plans to adopt temporary power usage cutting measures, which involve negotiating with big users to reduce usage and offering to reduce electricity bills if they cut usage, Lan added.
The two schemes are expected to lower electricity consumption by 900,000 kilowatts, Lan said.
The company is seeking approval to restart two of its nuclear reactors that were pulled off the grid — one since late 2014, the other since last month, Lan said, adding that it would reschedule planned maintenance work on other plants to days that are expected to have lower electricity demands.
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