Amid high temperatures driving electricity demand to record levels, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) yesterday reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring a stable power supply.
Power consumption yesterday reached an all-time high of about 36.77 gigawatts (GW) at 1:50pm, while the nation’s power supply reading signaled “orange,” with an operating reserve margin of 3.35 percent, according to data from state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電).
Under the utility’s five-color monitoring system, “green” indicates operating reserve margins of more than 10 percent; “yellow” means power reserves of between 6 and 10 percent; and “orange” represents reserves of less than 6 percent; “red” means that power reserves are less than 900,000 kilowatts (kW).
Photo: CNA
A “black” alert would be triggered if reserves fall to less than 500,000kW, making power rationing necessary.
Despite worries about possible power shortages, Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) said he expects the tight power supply to be eased next month, as power generators that are undergoing regular maintenance would go back online.
“Operating reserve margin is forecast to reach 6 percent next month,” Shen told reporters, adding that there was no need for government agencies to impose power rationing.
Earlier this week, Shen said the ministry has asked Taipower to submit a detailed plan to renovate outdated electricity networks nationwide as soon as possible.
Shen made the remarks hours before a natural gas-fired power plant in Miaoli County’s Tongsiao Township (通霄) was shut down, which Taipower attributed to an electrical bus failure.
The temporary shutdown was triggered by sensors at 3:12pm, affecting about 70,000 households in Miaoli, Taipower later said in a statement.
The Tongsiao unit was brought back online and began to generate power at full capacity at 4:38pm, the statement said.
Peak consumption is estimated to reach 36.5GW today and the nation’s power supply reading is expected to signal “orange” again with an expected operating reserve margin of 4.09 percent, Taipower’s Web site showed.
Overall, Taipower said its power supply reading is anticipated to be “yellow” early next month, with an estimated operating reserve margin of more than 6 percent.
Although Taiwan is in the middle of the annual “plum rain” season, a lack of rains has led to hotter-than-expected weather across the nation and the demand for electricity is expected to remain high in the days ahead, Taipower Department of System Operations official Cheng You-tsai (鄭有財) said.
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