About 25,000 high-voltage electricity users will be charged higher summer rates from May 16 to the middle of October, state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) announced yesterday.
Summer electricity rates, introduced in 1989 to encourage consumers to conserve electricity during peak usage months, usually take effect from June 1 to Sept. 30.
However, the Ministry of Economic Affairs decided to extend the period the rates are in force to reflect the reality of climate change in Taiwan, Taipower said.
Photo: CNA
The extended period will only affect high-voltage electricity users like science parks, department stores and hotels, which have a supply voltage of more than 11,000 volts per month during that period, Taipower said.
Taiwan’s 14 million household users will not be affected by the change and will only pay summer rates from June 1 to Sept. 30 as before, Taipower added.
Taipower said average temperatures in the nation in May and October had neared those in June and September partly due to global warming.
In addition, an early drought last month and this month, and a lingering fall heat wave, known locally as the “autumn tiger,” is expected to lead to higher demand for electricity around that period, Taipower added.
Taipower said that due to the lowering of non-summer electricity prices in January, average annual bills would remain unchanged, despite the extended period of summer rates.
The new policy is intended to encourage high-voltage customers to conserve electricity and schedule electricity-intensive tasks during off-peak hours.
Taipower said it started negotiating with the affected industries in 2021 and received positive or non-negative responses from 90 percent of businesses surveyed.
Summer electricity rates are expected to reduce the amount of electricity consumed during the peak season by 500,000 kilowatt hours per day, the state utility said.
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