Taipower defends limited use of coal generators in Kaohsiung

Taipei, May 22 (CNA) State-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) on Thursday defended the temporary use of two coal-fired generators at the Hsinta Power Plant in Kaohsiung, saying the move complies with conditions set in 2019 and is fully transparent.

Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) said the No. 3 and No. 4 generators are activated only when the spinning reserve rate drops below 8 percent, a measure allowed for a six-month period starting in April. The units, scheduled for decommissioning in December 2025 and 2026, are expected to run only through the end of May.

Tseng stressed that the deployment was not done in secret, pointing to real-time data available on Taipower's website.

Taipower Vice President Tsai Chih-meng (蔡志孟) added that the units are capped at 720 operational hours per year. Their recent use was triggered by an accident at the privately run Hoping Power Plant in Hualien and ongoing maintenance at other facilities.

Minister of Environment Peng Chi-ming (彭啓明) confirmed that the deployment aligns with environmental commitments made in 2019. He also noted that most air pollution in Taiwan comes from vehicles, not stationary sources like power plants.

The offcials made the comments in response to criticism that the activation was made due to power shortage issues.

Still, Kaohsiung's Environmental Protection Bureau said it has asked Taipower to report on the generators' use and is monitoring any impact on local air quality.

Hsinta currently operates five gas-fired generators. Construction of three additional gas units is 87 percent complete, slightly behind schedule.