TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a press conference held on Thursday (May 9), Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) addressed the recent surge in power outages in Taoyuan City, dismissing claims that the incidents were due to a lack of electricity. The company clarified that the outages, which exceeded 35 times in April, were caused by localized incidents, not a power shortage.
Clarifying Misconceptions
Taipower spokesperson Tsai Chih-Meng (蔡志孟) explained that if the outages were due to a power shortage, electricity would not return even after equipment repairs. This evidence supports the assertion that the Taoyuan outages were accidental.
The press conference also highlighted Taipower's achievements in energy conservation, noting that nearly 13 million households in Taiwan participated in power-saving efforts last year. These efforts resulted in the distribution of NT$1.5 billion in energy-saving bonuses and a cumulative saving of nearly 30 billion kWh since 2013.
Efforts to Reduce Outages
Tsai said that Taipower has taken significant steps to decrease the frequency of power outages, which have dropped from 700-800 instances to just over 200 in the past year. Given that Taoyuan's feeder lines account for over one-tenth of the national total, the area is more susceptible to incidents.
To combat this, Taipower added approximately 300 maintenance points and over 100 fault indicators on Wednesday (May 8), deploying additional staffing and returning maintenance units to operation.
Weng Su-chen (翁素真), the chief secretary of the Bureau of Energy, praised Taipower's rapid restoration of electricity, claiming it to be unmatched worldwide. She called on the public to endure these challenges together, emphasizing the collective effort required to overcome energy-related obstacles.