Chairman Ma: Saving Energy and Reducing Carbon Emissions Is Gov't Policy

Chairman Ma: Saving Energy and Reducing Carbon Emissions Is Gov't Policy

Source: KMT Culture and Communications Committee

May 3, 2012

Electricity rates are currently scheduled to be raised in three stages. At yesterday's KMT Central Standing Committee meeting, KMT Chairman Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) stated that if electricity rates were hiked all at once as had previously been decided, the Taiwan Power Company (TPC) could gradually recover its NT$137.6 billion (US$4.59 billion) in losses over a period of eight years, but it would take eleven years if electricity rates were hiked in three stages. However, the government decided to increase the rates in three stages to reduce the impact on the local economy.   

KMT's Tsai Ming-chung (蔡明忠) was defeated in Changhua County's Lugang Township (鹿港) mayoral by-election last weekend. Chairman Ma stated that the KMT should thoroughly review the reasons for its loss and learn lessons from the experience, adding that the KMT party central had asked the KMT Changhua chapter to deliver a review report within a week, in the hope that similar mistakes could be avoided in the future.

The government had decided to adopt the three-stage rate hike proposal, which was endorsed by most members of the KMT Central Standing Committee yesterday. These members opined that this was the correct decision, because the three-stage electricity hike plan had boosted the local bourse. One KMT member stated candidly that any reform had costs, but increasing the electricity rates in stages would minimize the costs.    

The KMT Central Standing Committee yesterday invited Lin Sheng-chung (林聖忠), Vice Economics Minister, to report on issues related to the government's measures on reducing carbon emissions. After hearing the report, Chairman Ma stated that saving energy and reducing carbon emissions was an important government policy, adding that once the policy received popular support, the nation could move forward on the right course.  

Ma Ying-jeou stressed that "this is not a personal principle, but the government's policy. The issue is not just whether or not to be thrifty. The issue is government policy."

[Editor's note: The Republic of China relies on imports for 99.4% of its energy.]   

Attachment : none