Wrong Energy Policies Force Taipower to Greatly Change Its Temperament

 Wrong Energy Policies Force Taipower to Greatly Change Its Temperament

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

December 1, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

For decades, the Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) faithfully observed its good neighborly policy, but recently its temperament has suddenly greatly changed. The Taichung coal-fired power plant earlier last month discharged water containing boron exceeding standards, thus it could be penalized; Taipower criticized Taichung City Hall. In recent days, on the volume of coal being used, Taipower again exchanged barbs with Taichung City Hall, apparently it has acted with the full support of the DPP government. Coincidentally, Taipower spokesman, known for his sharp and acidic language, was recently promoted to be deputy general manager.

This incident originated from Taichung City Hall’s demand that the Taichung Power Plant must faithfully implement the goal of a 40% reduction in the use of coal for the whole year by January 25, 2020. In other words, the annual use of coal shall not exceed 11.04 million tons. However, based on Taipower’s planning, the use of coal can only be reduced to 12.6 million tons; thus, Taipower wrote to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for consultations, asking whether, in accordance with the current "Management Rules on the Establishment and Operations of Fixed Pollution Sources and Issue of Permits", the Taichung Power Plant could have a 10% difference in error in the use of coal. The EPA immediately replied in writing, proclaiming that according to existing rules, the Taichung Power Plant could indeed increase its use of coal by 10%, or 1.1 million tons. Taipower and the EPA, based on the old rules of 18 years ago, echoed each other, thoroughly irritating Taichung City Hall. The EPA clearly states, "environmental protection standards ought to be more stringent and all kinds of pollution should not be allowed to have ratios of differences of error."

The DPP government’s nuclear-free homeland policy has been gradually exhausting Taipower’s chips that could have been used for power supply. Having in mind that reactor No. 2 of Nuclear Power Plant No. 2, with a generation capacity of 7.5 billion kWh of electricity per year, will stop operating in early 2021, while it has become a trend that the volume of power generated or bought will gradually increase year after year, plus the fact that President Tsai earlier pridefully proclaimed that Taiwan businessmen on the Mainland would come home to invest over NT$700 billion, the demand for power consumption in Taiwan will absolutely further increase by leaps and bounds in the future. Taipower naturally is unable to accept the reduction of coal use by the Taichung Power Plant.

The nuclear-free homeland policy has bound Taipower's hands and feet, while the development of renewable energy sources has progressed extremely slowly. Taipower has no way out; it could only do battle with Taichung City Hall, shaking off all civilities. Just like a captain at the helm deliberately sailing the ship towards an iceberg, the crew below deck could only do their best but helplessly row the oars.

State-run enterprises are under pressure of “mission accomplis”, they can only carry out instructions from their superiors. The ultimate responsibility lies with the current government; mistaken policies harm not only the subservient state-run enterprises, but also the masses at the grassroots who do not want to “generate power with their lungs”!

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