Responding to a study released yesterday by the Cabinet-level Research, Development and Evaluation Commission (
"We've been frustrated by previous failures to buy land in rural areas suitable for building high-voltage towers. It's difficult to guarantee power supply in such a situation," said Lee Gan-charng (
At a draft review meeting on the study held yesterday, commission officials said that in the wake of two islandwide power outage incidents on July 29 and Sept. 21, finding ways to enhance the reliability of the electrical supply has become a priority.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, LIBERTY TIMES
"In Taiwan, the power policy has long focused on power generation rather than electricity transmission. This makes providing reliable power transmission more challenging than elsewhere.
In addition, a commonly seen "not in my backyard" attitude toward public construction makes building high-voltage towers in rural areas more difficult," said the commission's chairman, Wea Chi-lin (
In the study, researchers from the Chung-hua Institute for Economic Research (??華經濟研究院) pointed out the irony of Taipower's policy of transferring power supplies from southern Taiwan to the north (南1q北送). Researchers argued that problems exist in several places, including the maintenance of the electrical system's security, the management of electricity transmission congestion and electricity shortage crises.
"To prevent future islandwide power outages, Taipower should disperse its generating system and adopt alternatives, including portable power generator systems and floating barge generators, both of which have been adopted in other countries where blackouts frequently occur, such as New Zealand and Japan," said George Hsu (3志義), one of the leading researchers behind the study.
However, experts suggested reviewing the existing grid structure first, at least as long as no alternatives are available.
"The existing transmission system is becoming increasingly fragile as demand increases. In engineering terms, I suggest monitoring power transmission at critical locations such as at Lungchi (龍崎), Chungliao (??寮), and Lungtan (龍潭)," said Chen Shih-lin (3?h麟), an electrical engineering professor from National Tsing Hua University.
According to Taipower, the July 29 power outage was the result of the collapse of a high-voltage tower at Lungchi, Tainan County, while the islandwide blackout after the 921 earthquake could be attributed to the shutdown of a transformer station at Chungliao, Nantou County.
The power transmission substation at Lungtan, Taoyuan County currently plays an important role in transmitting power to the north.
In addition, researchers suggest in the study that the government should adjust its existing price policy, as well as the structure of the industry.
"The promotion price for industry is outdated," said Wu Chung-chi (
While Taipower, under the supervision of the Commission of National Corporations (CNC,
"We've had both local and foreign experts study Taipower's two previous outages. A final report from a foreign team will be available in two weeks, which will be an important reference for adjusting policies," said CNC official Huang Jung-tzu (
A Chinese freighter that allegedly snapped an undersea cable linking Taiwan proper to Penghu County is suspected of being owned by a Chinese state-run company and had docked at the ports of Kaohsiung and Keelung for three months using different names. On Tuesday last week, the Togo-flagged freighter Hong Tai 58 (宏泰58號) and its Chinese crew were detained after the Taipei-Penghu No. 3 submarine cable was severed. When the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) first attempted to detain the ship on grounds of possible sabotage, its crew said the ship’s name was Hong Tai 168, although the Automatic Identification System (AIS)
An Akizuki-class destroyer last month made the first-ever solo transit of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship through the Taiwan Strait, Japanese government officials with knowledge of the matter said yesterday. The JS Akizuki carried out a north-to-south transit through the Taiwan Strait on Feb. 5 as it sailed to the South China Sea to participate in a joint exercise with US, Australian and Philippine forces that day. The Japanese destroyer JS Sazanami in September last year made the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s first-ever transit through the Taiwan Strait, but it was joined by vessels from New Zealand and Australia,
SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
CRITICAL MOVE: TSMC’s plan to invest another US$100 billion in US chipmaking would boost Taiwan’s competitive edge in the global market, the premier said The government would ensure that the most advanced chipmaking technology stays in Taiwan while assisting Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in investing overseas, the Presidential Office said yesterday. The statement follows a joint announcement by the world’s largest contract chipmaker and US President Donald Trump on Monday that TSMC would invest an additional US$100 billion over the next four years to expand its semiconductor manufacturing operations in the US, which would include construction of three new chip fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center. The government knew about the deal in advance and would assist, Presidential
RSS