An unpublished report by state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) said that the nation could have a positive electricity reserve margin even without nuclear power plants — an estimate that differs from the previous prediction — which was described as an energy policy U-turn following the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) election victory.
According to a Central News Agency report on Monday, Taipower said it could manage a positive energy reserve margin in the next eight years if the three operating nuclear power plants are decommissioned on schedule and a mothballed plant remains shuttered, which contradicted the company’s energy report last year, which predicted that the reserve margin would be shortfalls of 1.6 percent and 3 percent in 2023 and 2024 in the event of a nuclear power phase-out.
The new estimate was criticized as a U-turn to meet the DPP’s nuclear-free policy — which seeks to eliminate nuclear power generation by 2025 — as the new outlook came just two days after the party clinched a landslide victory in the presidential and legislative elections on Saturday.
Taipower spokesman Hsiao Jin-yi (蕭金益) yesterday confirmed the company’s new estimate without specifying the exact figures of the reserve margin, which he said would be released later.
“The latest correction [of the electricity reserve margin] was not made because of a change in government, but because since last year’s report, the general economic environment and public awareness of energy conservation have changed, while the company has come up with solutions to avoid power shortages,” he said.
The reserve margin went from negative to positive because economic growth has been predicted to slow and energy conservation awareness has been on the rise, so the company adjusted the nation’s power demand downward, Hsiao said.
The development of sources of renewable energy and the expansion and upgrade of facilities at power plants in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), Kaohsiung’s Siaogang District (小港), Miaoli’s Tongsiao Township (通霄) and Taoyuan’s Datan Township (大潭) would boost the reserve margin, he said.
“Taipower would be useless if it had a negative reserve margin and did nothing about it. The adjustment had nothing to do with the elections,” he said.
Although the operating margin went from negative to positive, the risk of power shortages still exists, as the margin remains low, while energy supply would be a pressing issue if nuclear power is phased out, Taipower said.
The three functioning nuclear power plants are to be deactivated in 2019, 2023 and 2025 after each has run for 40 years — the designated service life of each plant, the company said, adding that the three plants generate about 20 percent of the firm’s power.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS