The Ministry of Economic Affairs yesterday said the No. 1 power generator at the coal-fired power plant in Yunlin County’s Mailiao Township (麥寮) is scheduled to suspend operations from Oct. 28 for one month, in a bid to meet the county’s environmental regulations.
“The Taiwan Power Co [Taipower, 台電] will ensure the stability of electricity supply during the power generator suspension at Mailiao,” Bureau of Energy Deputy Director-General Lee Chun-li (李君禮) said by telephone, citing a preliminary negotiation between Taipower and the privately owned Mailiao Power Corp (麥寮汽電).
The No. 1 power generator has an installed capacity of 600,000 kilowatts (KW), Taipower said.
The bureau has been serving as a mediator between Taipower and Mailiao Power for months, as Taipower insisted Mailiao Power supply to non-stop electricity to the state-run utility for the remainder of the year in accordance with their contract, but Mailiao Power’s coal-burning quota is expected to reach its limit by the end of the month.
The two parities have reached a preliminary consensus, which is to allow Mailiao Power to take turns halting the operation of two of its power generators, preventing the privately owned company from being fined by the Yunlin County Government, Lee said.
Taipower chairman Chu Wen-chen (朱文成) yesterday said that Taipower would respect the decision.
“We would be appreciative if Mailiao could keep supplying electricity to Taipower ... but we understand the difficult situation it faces. Taipower will seek other solutions amid the constrained power supply,” Chu said.
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