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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

Water Department Clashes with Ministry over Hydroelectric Power Water Fees; Taipower Refuses Talks

From Liberty Times · (17h ago) Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Taipei Water Department (TWD) is proposing to charge Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) a "water consumption fee" for water used in hydroelectric power generation.
  • The TWD argues this is a reasonable compensation based on a previous audit and economic ministry rates, but Taipower has refused to negotiate.
  • The Ministry of Water Resources states that water is not consumed in power generation and suggests the TWD should negotiate directly with Taipower, while the TWD counters that downstream facilities cannot store the released water, leading to its loss.

A dispute has emerged between the Taipei Water Department (TWD) and the Ministry of Water Resources regarding compensation for water used by Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) for hydroelectric generation at the Fei Tsui Reservoir. The TWD is advocating for a "water consumption fee" of NT$3 per cubic meter or ton of water, citing a 2024 audit by the Control Yuan and rates set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The 'water consumption fee' is levied by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. If it concerns power generation compensation or electricity rates, it should be negotiated between the Fei Tsui Reservoir and Taipower, and it is not appropriate to cite Article 84-1 of the Water Act as the basis for collection.

— Ministry of Water ResourcesStating their position that the TWD lacks the authority to levy such fees and that negotiations should be between the reservoir and Taipower.

The Ministry of Water Resources, however, maintains that water is not consumed during power generation and that the TWD should negotiate directly with Taipower over power generation fees. They argue that the TWD's attempt to invoke Article 84-1 of the Water Act for charging this fee is inappropriate. This stance has led to a stalemate, with the TWD reporting that Taipower has repeatedly refused to negotiate despite seven official requests and multiple invitations.

Based on the Control Yuan's audit findings and referencing the water consumption fee rates set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, we are exploring a reasonable compensation mechanism. Despite seven official letters and multiple invitations to Taipower, they have refused to negotiate.

— Taipei Water DepartmentExplaining their rationale for proposing the fee and highlighting Taipower's refusal to engage in price negotiations.

The TWD refutes the ministry's claim that water is not consumed, explaining that the downstream weir is not a reservoir and lacks sufficient capacity to store additional water released for power generation. Consequently, much of this water flows directly into rivers and the sea, becoming difficult to reuse. This situation highlights a critical disagreement over water resource management and fair compensation, particularly concerning the valuable water resources of the Fei Tsui Reservoir and their utilization for energy production.

In the process of (hydroelectric) power generation, water is not consumed or diminished; the water after generation can still be supplied for other water needs downstream.

— Ministry of Water ResourcesArguing that water is not depleted during power generation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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