The Changhua County Prosecutors’ Office has indicted 14 people, including mayors and representatives of the county’s Jhutang Township (竹塘) and Yunlin County’s Erlun Township (二崙), on charges of accepting millions of dollars in kickbacks related to green-energy projects.
Jhutang Township Mayor Tsai Shuo-jen (蔡碩任), along with Jhutang Township Council Speaker Lin Shu-nu (林淑女) and her husband, Tsai Yue-yang (蔡岳陽), allegedly leaked information on the bidding for a photovoltaic power plant and received NT$440 million (US$13.57 million) in kickbacks for two projects, the indictment issued on Monday read.
In 2021, Tsai Yue-yang and green-energy developers, together with a representative of a photovoltaic company surnamed Lin (林), persuaded Tsai Shuo-jen to process the Jhutang Public Cemetery lease as a photovoltaic power generation project, promising the mayor NT$4,500 for every 1,000 kilowatt-peak generated, the indictment said.
Photo: Chang Tsung-chiu, Taipei Times
Kilowatt-peak denotes the peak performance capability of a photovoltaic system or solar panel.
Tsai Yue-yang and Lin Shu-nu received NT$14.47 million and NT$6 million respectively for facilitating the deal, it said.
In 2022, Tsai Yue-yang further persuaded Tsai Shuo-jen to initiate projects to install rooftop solar panels and divide the project into separate bids in contravention of the Government Procurement Act (政府採購法), it said.
The 2022 project allegedly benefited a developer surnamed Lee (李), who received NT$27.34 million from Taiwan Power Co’s (台電) purchase of the power generated, it said.
Erlun Township Mayor Chung Tung-jung (鍾東榮) and Erlun Township Council Speaker Yang Shih-pin (楊世彬) face the same charges, with Chung accused of hiding NT$9.2 million in illegal kickbacks in a family temple, the indictment said.
Prosecutors have asked for eight, 11, 12 and 11-year prison sentences for Tsai Shuo-jen, Chung, Lin Shu-nu and Yang respectively.
A source in the photovoltaic energy production industry, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the rapid growth in the nation’s green-energy market in the past few years has resulted in exorbitant pricing, cutthroat competition and sometimes illegal activity.
Prosecutors said it was inevitable that the development of green-energy systems would result in actors seeking to cash in, but government officials must adhere to the law when processing procurement projects, and instead of seeking bribes, should encourage developers to give back to the community.
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