Taipower warns of stressed power grid in orange-level capacity

Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) announced that as of Thursday evening, the operating reserve of electricity was reported to be at only 4.32%, with the state power supplier's status index showing an orange light indicating a stressed capacity in the afternoon.

The news comes amid heightened awareness regarding energy supply as countries around the world battle with impending power shortages or power outages. Power cuts have continued to impact the already stricken supply chain, and many fear similar blackouts occurring in Taiwan, the world's top chip-making hub. News reports indicate that Taiwan Power management had already held emergency meetings over "urgent" supply of power, or a red light situation."

In response to the potential shortage, Taipower said October usage rates have been at a historic high, specifically with increased usage in residential areas. Green energy alternatives have been less fruitful, with solar power generating less than expected, and the unusually hot weather going into October.

Since October, according to Taipower’s power supply real-time updates, due to the air pollution season, it has promised to temporarily shut down the coal-fired Taichung Power Plant and Xingda plant and reduce load. Yet, with high temperatures, both pumped-storage hydroelectricity and solar power have been at full capacity in the afternoons, with pumped-storage hydroelectricity going offline around 4 to 5 pm due to maxed-daily capacity.

ost fully opened, and then due to the limit of pumping storage capacity, it was rolled off the line at four or five o’clock in the afternoon every day. The power supply light also fell below the yellow light, and the power supply was used. The rates are all around 95%, even as high as 96% on Thursday, with Taipower's daily power supply signal in the evening indicating orange at 4.32%.

Minister of Economy Wang Mei-hua, commenting on the issue after attending a local event's press conference, pointed out that with the temperature has been high since October, the peak of electricity consumption on Thursday was at 37.702 million kWh, which is the highest electricity consumption in October in history. In addition to industrial electricity consumption, which has increased by 5% to 6%, a major reason is that residential electricity consumption had increased by 20%, prompted by too-hot weather in the normally cooler October.

To reduce air pollution from coal-fired plants, two of Taiwan's have pledged to shut down operations during the traditional air pollution season in October. However, the reduction of power supply had added to Taipower's stress to supply electricity unhindered.

If temperatures do not continue to cool in the next few days, the power capacity will be in a tight situation, the nation's power supplier warned. With the experience from the two blackouts in May, however, Taipower has said the current pumped storage dispatch and demand response has been much smoother than in the past, and power supply remains steady after nightfall without risk of power outages.