The Taichung City Government yesterday approved state-run Taiwan Power Co’s (Taipower, 台電) request to extend the service life of nine coal-fired generators at its Taichung Power Plant, with the proviso that the plant cuts its bituminous coal usage by almost a quarter.
Taipower said that such a drastic cut would decrease the plant’s annual power generation by 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours and could pose a risk to the nation’s power supply.
Taipower said that it filed applications for an extension on Nov. 6 and on Friday last week, but both proposals were rejected by the city government for not going far enough in reducing coal usage.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
In its second application, Taipower proposed slashing its annual coal usage by 3.15 million tonnes, but the city government said the proposed volume would not meet the reduction in coal usage required by the Autonomous Act for Coal Regulation (台中市管制生煤自治條例).
The Taichung Environmental Protection Bureau said that it would only agree to the extension if Taipower cuts its planned coal usage by 5 million tonnes, or 24 percent, from 21 million tonnes.
Taipower said the plant generates 44.4 billion kilowatt-hours per year and a 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours reduction would be like shutting down one coal-fired generator.
It would be impossible to replace coal with natural gas in such a short period, because the plant needs time to expand its facilities, the company said, adding that its two combined-cycle gas turbines would not be ready until 2025 at the earliest.
Even if the plant switches over to natural gas completely, it would require 600,000 tonnes of natural gas, which presents a challenge for the company in terms of sourcing and could threaten the power supply nationwide, the company said.
This is the first time that the city government has taken action to cut coal usage since the plant was built 30 years ago.
Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said that the plant has benefited the public for the three decades since its establishment, but its use of coal has generated significant air pollution.
The city passed the act last year, which was the main reason it asked Taipower to reduce its coal usage, Lin said.
“We believe that the municipal order to decrease coal usage — the first of its kind — is in line with public expectations,” Lin said.
He said that he believes the goal set down by the act is attainable.
Lin said he hopes that Taipower would work with the city and help improve air quality in the region.
Additional reporting by Chang Ching-ya
MAKING WAVES: China’s maritime militia could become a nontraditional threat in war, clogging up shipping lanes to prevent US or Japanese intervention, a report said About 1,900 Chinese ships flying flags of convenience and fishing vessels that participated in China’s military exercises around Taiwan last month and in January last year have been listed for monitoring, Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director-General Hsieh Ching-chin (謝慶欽) said yesterday. Following amendments to the Commercial Port Act (商港法) and the Law of Ships (船舶法) last month, the CGA can designate possible berthing areas or deny ports of call for vessels suspected of loitering around areas where undersea cables can be accessed, Oceans Affairs Council Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) said. The list of suspected ships, originally 300, had risen to about
DAREDEVIL: Honnold said it had always been a dream of his to climb Taipei 101, while a Netflix producer said the skyscraper was ‘a real icon of this country’ US climber Alex Honnold yesterday took on Taiwan’s tallest building, becoming the first person to scale Taipei 101 without a rope, harness or safety net. Hundreds of spectators gathered at the base of the 101-story skyscraper to watch Honnold, 40, embark on his daredevil feat, which was also broadcast live on Netflix. Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold swiftly moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building. At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos. People watching from inside
Japan’s strategic alliance with the US would collapse if Tokyo were to turn away from a conflict in Taiwan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said yesterday, but distanced herself from previous comments that suggested a possible military response in such an event. Takaichi expressed her latest views on a nationally broadcast TV program late on Monday, where an opposition party leader criticized her for igniting tensions with China with the earlier remarks. Ties between Japan and China have sunk to the worst level in years after Takaichi said in November that a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan could bring about a Japanese
STREAMLINED: The dedicated funding would allow the US to transfer equipment to Taiwan when needed and order upgraded replacements for stockpiles, a source said The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed a defense appropriations bill totaling US$838.7 billion, of which US$1 billion is to be allocated to reinforcing security cooperation with Taiwan and US$150 million to replace defense articles provided to the nation. These are part of the Consolidated Appropriation Act, which the US House yesterday passed with 341 votes in favor and 88 against. The act must be passed by the US Senate before Friday next week to avoid another government shutdown. The US House Committee on Appropriations on Monday unveiled the act, saying that it allocates US$1 billion for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative
RSS