Premier's Assurance on Power Supply Amid Nuclear Shutdown
Sufficient Power Production Affirmed by Premier
Hey there! Check out what's happening with Taiwan's power supply following the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant's No. 2 reactor shutdown.
- By Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNA
Fear not, folks! Our power needs will be adequately met through 2032, according to Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), aiming to quell public concerns about the repercussions of the nuclear reactor shutdown in Pingtung County on energy prices.
Before attending a meeting at the legislature in Taipei, Cho addressed reporters' queries on whether the reactor closure would drive up residential electricity rates. Given that one of the plant's reactors was closed in July last year, the remaining reactor contributes just under 3 percent of the nation's power during peak demand currently.
Based on estimations from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taiwan Power Co, the decommissioning of the nuclear reactor would bring the current energy reserve margin down from 15 percent to about 12 percent, Cho explained. Still, the reserve margin would hover around 10 percent during the day and 7 percent at night, he said, remaining comfortably within safe limits.
New power generation units at the Hsinta, Sun Ba, and Datan power plants will go live this year, makeup for the power shortfall resulting from the reactor shutdown.
The government intends to carry on executing President William Lai's (賴清德) second phase of the energy transition plan, focusing on developing diverse green energy, energy conservation, energy storage, and grid resilience solutions, as announced by Premier Cho.
Worried about energy demands for high-tech and artificial intelligence sectors? Relax, as Cho confirmed the power generation will be sufficient to cater to their needs up until 2032. So let's all take a deep breath and remain reassured!
KMT has previously suggested extending the operating life of nuclear power plants from 40 to 60 years through amendments to the Nuclear Reactor Facilities Regulation Act.
Minister of Economic Affairs J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) confirmed that his ministry would promptly assess the safety of nuclear plants if the bill is passed. International experts would also be invited to offer their assistance.
Still wondering about Taiwan's electricity supply once the last nuclear power reactor is shut down? Approximately 84 percent of the nation's electricity will rely on fossil fuels, primarily "thermal power" (coal, natural gas, fuel oil), according to Kuo. He expects renewables to contribute 20 percent by November next year and 30 percent by 2030.
The Democratic Progressive Party, when they came into power in May 2016, vowed to phase out nuclear power by this year while setting a goal of 20 percent renewables by the same year. With the world averaging 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources for the first time in 2023, this initial objective seems rather modest.
Last year, fossil fuels accounted for 83.2 percent of the nation's electricity generation (39.3 percent coal, 42.4 percent natural gas), compared to 4.2 percent for nuclear energy, 1.1 percent for pumped storage, and 11.6 percent for renewable energy, as shown by Energy Administration data.
Think the nuclear plant closure will escalate air pollution? Don't worry, as the sources of power, specifically renewable energy and natural gas, will continue to be used, according to Kuo, who described natural gas as a "low-carbon" energy source.
- The decommissioning of Taiwan's Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant's No. 2 reactor is expected to lower the energy reserve margin from 15% to around 12%, according to Premier Cho Jung-tai.
- In 2023, the world is projected to average 30% of its electricity from renewable sources, surpassing the Democratic Progressive Party's initial goal of 20% renewable energy by that year, set when they came into power in 2016.
- By 2032, Taiwan's average energy supply is assured to meet the demands of high-tech and artificial intelligence sectors, as confirmed by Premier Cho, despite the current energy mix predominantly relying on fossil fuels (84%) and the phasing out of nuclear power.
