Last week, Wang said the new power plant for the science park would cost between NT$20 billion to NT$30 billion and would be built by domestic or foreign private companies in a joint venture. It could be finished in two years.
The emergency decree is also expected to help Taipower to complete a long delayed project to expand its facilities to increase its north-south power transmission capacity.
"Taipower now expects its expansion project to be completed before June next year," said the official.
But even after Taipower completes expansion, only another 1,500 megawatts of power will be able to be transmitted to the north from the south, as the expansion is aimed more at relieving the existing overloaded power transmission lines.
Because of this, the Energy Commission said only about two or three of the IPPs currently seeking government approval to build power plants in the south will likely get the go-ahead.
So far there is only one IPP among the six applicants that has plans to build a power plant in the north, and due to the power shortage there, this project has a higher chance of gaining approval, according to the official.
Although the government has said three other ongoing IPP power projects -- which include two in the north -- can also resort to the emergency decree to adopt measures to facilitate the construction of the projects, it remains questionable whether this is possible, as the projects are estimated to be completed long after the emergency decree expires in late March next year.
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