The Taichung Power Plant would phase out its coal-fired power generation facilities by the end of 2034, one year ahead of schedule, transitioning to natural gas to reduce Taiwan’s main source of air pollution, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said on Friday.
To achieve this goal, state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電), which operates the country’s largest coal-fired power plant, would be required to expedite gas facility construction, Cho said during an inspection of the plant.
Cho visited the plant amid ongoing debates over a recently completed environmental impact assessment that approved the second phase of the plant’s new gas-fired generators installation plan.
Photo courtesy of the Taichung City Government
Under the government’s two gas-fired units installation plans, four of the nation’s 10 existing coal-fired units would be dismantled, while the remaining six would be decommissioned and kept offline unless needed in cases of emergency.
Cho said that the plant would generate power without the use of coal by the end of 2034.
After that, the six coal-fired reserve generators would only be activated in cases of national security or natural disasters, he said.
Local governments would be notified when the units are to be activated, and coal usage would be kept to less than 1 percent of current levels, Cho added.
In 2032, the government would evaluate whether the six emergency coal-fired units would still be needed, he said.
The Taichung Power Plant would have eight coal-fired units and two natural gas-fired power generators by the end of 2028, Taipower said.
Afterward, the plant would dismantle its two coal-fired units, gradually decommission the remaining ones while keeping them on standby, and introduce four new gas-fired generators, it said.
Although the government has said that the transition would reduce air pollution by 88 percent, opposition lawmakers questioned why the decommissioned units are being retained.
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