Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Chih-kung (李世光) on Thursday said that the ministry is working to transform coal-fired power plants into natural gas-powered plants to ensure economic growth is not undermined by power shortages.
One of the measures intended to ensure a stable power supply is the transformation of two coal-fired power plants — in Taichung and Keelung — into natural gas-powered plants.
Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電), the nation’s main power supplier, is working on a project to build gas storage facilities at the two power plants, Taipower chairman Chu Wen-chen (朱文成) said.
The project is expected to be completed by 2025, when the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government’s nuclear-free homeland policy is scheduled to take effect, when about “50 percent of power plants in Taiwan” will need to be powered by natural gas, Lee said.
Taipower has initiated a feasibility evaluation on importing natural gas and operating the plants itself, but the plan is pending ministry approval, Chu said.
He said it is necessary for the nation to increase power generation from natural gas, as the government wants to reduce the reliance on electricity generated from coal due to environmental concerns.
Lee said other priorities for the ministry to facilitate economic growth include amendments to related laws following the revision of the Electricity Act (電業法) and the Company Act (公司法).
Over the past eight months since he took the post, Lee said he has seen the nation’s solar power generation reach 1 gigawatts and the beginning of work on a water recycling plant in Kaohsiung’s Fengshan District (鳳山).
The plant will be capable of recycling 10,000 tonnes of wastewater per day, the ministry said.
Additional reporting by Lauly Li
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