A DPP energy policy task force said yesterday its research showed the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant could be replaced if the government shifted its focus toward improving Taiwan's thermal power plants.
"The makeover could improve the efficiency of electric power supply by 40 percent and provide seven times more power than the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant," said Lai Chin-lin (
Lai stressed the results of their research would be presented to the new president for his evaluation.
National Taiwan University professor Chang Kuo-lung (
"The new government only needs to upgrade its thermal power plants' mechanisms and use combined cycle gas turbine (
"Then the power capacity generated can adequately supply Taiwan's electric power to meet and reduce carbon dioxide levels.
Other professors confirmed this optimistic opinion, saying the new government would find Taipower has misled residents by revealing false information.
"Taipower said the co-generation system was not appropriate for Taiwan's situation because it can not produce enough electric power for Taiwan's power demands," said Wang To-far (
"However, after the Legislative Yuan passed the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant bill, the Executive Yuan announced a new policy to encourage the co-generation system. This measure now provides over 10 percent of Taiwan's total demand. A capacity which is larger than that of the nuclear power plant."
The only detail the task force has not finished discussing are the possible "legal problems," which includes compensation to a foreign company for violating contracts.
Responding to the DPP's suggestion, officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs said that resources and replacements should take into account the time factor.
"To makeover all thermal power plants' mechanisms it is necessary to improve the efficiency to about 30 to 40 percent," said Chen Chao-yih (陳昭義), Executive Secretary of Energy Commission at the ministry economics ministry.
"But a question remains," Chen added, "as combined cycle gas turbine technology has yet to be used widely."
A signaling system malfunction disrupted high-speed rail (HSR) services beginning at 8am today, with trains temporarily reduced to three northbound and three southbound trains per hour as authorities conduct inspections. The malfunction occurred on a section of track in Miaoli County during pre-operation checks early this morning, forcing northbound and southbound trains to use a single track, the HSR operator said. The regular schedule has been replaced with three hourly trains offering only nonreserved seating in each direction, stopping at every station, it said, adding that business class cars would still have reserved seating. Departures from terminal stations are scheduled at the top
Taiwan is still in the process of assessing the possibility of recruiting workers from Eswatini, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, adding that its goal is to help Eswatini upgrade its vocational training centers. If there are plans to recruit workers from Eswatini, safeguarding national security, protecting public health and ensuring the employment rights of Taiwanese would be prerequisites, Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Yen Chia-liang (顏嘉良) told a news conference. Key considerations would also include filling labor shortages in specific industries, and fostering bilateral professional and technical exchanges, he said. Yen was asked about the progress of labor
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