Taiwan may suffer up to eight major regional power outages next year unless drastic measures are taken to fix Taipower's power transmission system, a group of analysts warned yesterday.
After the July 29 power blackout that plunged the island into total darkness, the Ministry of Economic Affairs' national corporations commission invited a group of nine US experts to Taiwan for a reevaluation of its power infrastructure.
The analysts said yesterday that Taiwan stands to face at least three major power outages next year, adding that the most dangerous period will be from June to September, the peak season for power consumption.
They also called Taiwan's power supply system "the most unstable in the world."
The US analysts drafted a medium-term proposal, which lists more than 40 areas to be revamped.
One urgent priority in the proposal is to fix Taipower's aging transmission infrastructure, including the relocation or renovation of its 100-plus pylons in the mountains of central Taiwan.
Taipower's transformer stations also need to be divided into smaller units to minimize the risk of outages, the analysts said.
The proposal also recommends that Taipower complete the renovations before April next year. "Otherwise, eight major blackouts next year won't be a surprise," they said.
Apart from these measures, Taipower still needs to build a fourth nuclear plant and its third transmission line in order to fulfill the country's long-term electricity demands, the analysts added.
They also pointed out that Taipower suffers a critical manpower shortage -- that Taiwan's 32 power stations are manned by 28,000 people, far below the 35,000 required to meet international standards.
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