Taichung: Opposition lawmakers successfully passed a resolution on Tuesday, advocating for the Taichung Power Plant to cease coal-based electricity generation by 2028, which is six years ahead of the government's current plan set for 2034. Taipower, the national power company, has expressed concerns over the feasibility of this accelerated timeline.
According to Focus Taiwan, the opposition's resolution argues that the planned integration of gas-fired units could facilitate the plant's transition away from coal by the proposed 2028 deadline. The resolution, supported by the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), points out that the plant is currently operating outdated subcritical coal-fired units, which are known for their low efficiency in power generation.
The resolution highlights that two new gas-fired units in Phase 1 of the Taichung Power Plant, along with the privately owned Chung Chia gas-fired power facility, are expected to commence operations by 2026. This development, they claim, could offset the electricity generated by the existing coal-fired units. The opposition underscores a discrepancy in the government's plan, noting that under the current 2034 target, a significant portion of coal units will remain active in 2031, despite promises to retire a coal unit for every new gas-fired unit added.
The proposal also stresses that coal is the most detrimental energy source, with central Taiwan contributing to 60 percent of the nation's coal-fired power generation, 45 percent of which originates from the Taichung Power Plant. It identifies Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan as the areas most affected by coal emissions from the plant.
Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng expressed his opposition to the proposal, cautioning that eliminating coal use at the Taichung Power Plant by 2028 could result in a 14 percent reduction in Taipower's power supply capacity, potentially leading to a collapse of the national power system. Tseng emphasized the necessity for a reliable alternative energy source to replace the 14 percent power generation capacity that would be lost if coal were phased out as proposed by the opposition.
The government's current plan for transforming the plant includes bringing two Phase 1 gas-fired units online by 2025 and 2026, followed by the decommissioning of coal-fired units 1 and 2. Units 3 and 4 would remain as backup power sources, while the remaining six units continue normal operations. Phase 2 of the transformation plan involves launching a gas-fired unit in 2031 and gradually decommissioning additional coal-fired units, which would be converted to emergency backup roles through 2034.