Taipower implemented additional power output reduction to fight against emission, suiting the action to the word! Taipower said today (January 4th) that the power output of its thermal power plants was lowered for more than 1,000 times in 2019, reducing power generation to 10 billion kWh, which was nearly double as that in the previous year (2018). In particular, during the air pollution season from September to December of last year, the power generation reduction of thermal power plants had already exceeded the power generation reduction in the entire year of 2018, proving Taipower’s strong determination in improving the air quality in Taiwan. Taipower emphasized that although power industry is not the main cause of air pollution, on the premise of ensuring the stable power supply and meeting the power demand for the entire nation, multi-pronged efforts can be made to reduce emissions. It is also hoped that all sectors of the community will collaborate to solve the air pollution problem together.
Taipower explained that since November 2017, Taipower has been complying with the air quality warning policy to implement friendly or autonomous power output reduction. Since the power supply in 2019 was stable, Taipower further cut down its power output to reduce emission. After entering the air pollution season in September, Taipower even implemented the "Environmental Shutdown" to stop the unit from generating electricity. As a result, during the air pollution season, the power generation reduction from power output cut down reached record high. In total, the power output of Taipower’s thermal power plants was lowered for 1,183 times in the entire year, reducing the generation of 11.14 billion kWh of electricity. As for the previous year (2018), power output was lowered for 995 times, reducing the generation of 5.83 billion kWh of electricity. Last year, the power generation reduction was 1.9 times that of the previous year. In the air pollution season from September to December alone, the power output was lowered for 582 times, reducing the generation of 7.26 billion kWh of electricity, which exceeds the generation of electricity reduced for the entire year of 2018.
Taipower pointed out that the Taichung Power Plant lowered its output 462 times last year, reducing 6.64 billion kWh of electricity, and lowered its output 368 times in 2018, reducing nearly 3 billion kWh of electricity. From the result, it is apparent that the power generation reduction in last year is 2.2 times that in 2018. The Xingda Power Plant lowered its output 565 times last year, reducing 3.72 billion kWh of electricity, and lowered its output 463 times in 2018, reducing 1.77 billion kWh of electricity; the power generation reduction in last year is 2.1 times that in 2018.
Taipower emphasizes that there are many sources of air pollution. According to the latest investigation and research results conducted by the Environmental Protection Administration, the impact of the electricity industry on air pollution is actually 5.4%. Despite this, Taipower is still committed to environmental friendliness, making its power plants to take multi-pronged approach in contributing to the improvement of air quality, from reducing coal at the source to promoting environmental improvement projects and reducing power output as well as emissions. The emissions of Taipower's coal-fired power plants have been reduced by nearly 50% compared to that in 2012. In the future, according to our energy policy, the plan of “increasing gas and reducing coal” will continue to be promoted, which will further reduce the emissions. Taipower once again called on all circles to recognize that only comprehensive governance can truly solve the problem of air pollution.
Updated output reduction information ：
https://www.taipower.com.tw/tc/page.aspx?mid=337&cid=409&cchk=abc9acf7-089b-4944-a9b3-f5fa1b4121c7
Previous output reduction information ：
https://www.taipower.com.tw/tc/new_info/new_info-e7500.aspx
Real-time image of the coal-fired unit stack：
https://www.taipower.com.tw/tc/page.aspx?mid=337&cid=2662&cchk=c7c39fc4-e0a3-4df9-8b3e-cfb0e864cda1