Two Taichung Coal-Fired Units to Be Dismantled in October, Premier Says Taiwan Will End Coal Power by 2034

Taiwan’s Taichung Power Plant is set to begin dismantling two coal-fired units in October, as the government says it is moving toward coal-free power generation by 2034. Premier Cho Jung-tai said Units 1 and 2 would not return to operation and that their chimneys would be removed on schedule.

Cho made the statement during an inspection of the plant’s new gas-fired units and the dismantling work. Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin said the plant’s first-phase new gas-fired Units 1 and 2 would reach 100% full-load generation in October. Taipower will begin dismantling the coal units at the same time, which the government described as a concrete step toward its pledge to reduce coal use.

Cho said Taipower had invested more than NT$40 billion in replacing coal with gas. Since 2014, total air-pollution emissions have fallen by 80%, he said. The plant’s six planned emergency backup units would normally be used only for maintenance and testing, and would operate for limited periods during major emergencies such as national-security threats or natural disasters.

He instructed the Economics Ministry and Taipower to work toward reviewing the number of backup units by 2030 and to present a plan that would be more noticeable to local residents. He also urged the Legislative Yuan to support the budget so central and local authorities could continue working on schedule.

Kung said Taichung’s electricity demand has risen sharply, making it Taiwan’s highest-consuming city for seven consecutive years. He said demand currently exceeds supply and that four additional gas-fired units planned for the plant’s second phase are necessary. Taipower had absorbed NT$120 billion in fuel costs this year but received only NT$70 billion in additional funding, he said, urging lawmakers to approve more support. “Using the budget to punish Taipower really makes no sense,” Kung said.

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Using the budget to punish Taipower really makes no sense