Taiwan’s power supply could collapse if the Taichung Power Plant goes coal-free by 2028, as it accounts for 14 percent of the nation’s power supply, Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) chairman Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) said today.
The comment came after lawmakers today approved a motion proposed by opposition lawmakers to phase out coal use at the plant by 2028.
The motion, also requiring the plant to implement annual carbon reduction plans, was proposed by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋), Liao Wei-hsiang (廖偉翔), Huang Chien-hao (黃健豪), Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) and Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯), as well as Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Chang Chi-kai (張啓楷).
Photo courtesy of the Taichung City Government
Tseng said that the legislature needs to consider overall future development, including the impact of the Taichung Power Plant going coal-free by 2028.
The plant’s capacity is 5.5 million kilowatts, which accounts for more than 15 percent of Taiwan’s power supply, Tseng said.
Taipower has committed to operating only nine of the plant’s 10 units, still generating up to 5 million kilowatts and accounting for 14 percent of the nation’s power supply, he said.
If this power supply is to be eliminated by 2028, the opposition parties need to consider suitable and stable alternative sources of energy and propose possibilities for discussion, Tseng said.
Giving a related example, Tseng said: “If comprehensive tax cuts were proposed, I believe all of Taiwan would support it, but where would funding come from?”
Taiwan’s current power system might collapse if it goes coal-free by 2028, he said.
Opposition parties have also proposed a referendum advocating to extend the life of nuclear power plants.
This came after the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant’s No. 2 reactor was decommissioned on May 17, officially making Taiwan nuclear free.
Taipower would conduct nuclear safety assessments based on regulations set by the competent authority, Tseng said.
The safety evaluation for extending the life of nuclear power plants is very rigorous, and Taipower would publicly report its assessment results so that people can make an informed decision, he added.
If nuclear power were to make up for the power generated by the Taichung Power Plant, it would require all three of Taiwan’s nuclear power plants to resume their operations, not only Ma-anshan, he said.
Regarding Taichung Power Plant’s future plans, as natural gas units begin operating, two coal-fired units would be dismantled next year and another two in 2031, with the remaining six units to be converted into emergency backup power facilities, Tseng said.
Supposing that eight coal-fired until are operating in 2028, the plant would maintain a power supply of 4 million kilowatts, he said.
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