TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan Power Company (台電), the state-owned electricity utility, has completed and test-operated the first new gas unit at the Taichung Power Plant (台中電廠) in 2025, marking a significant step in the government's "increase gas, reduce coal" policy. The initiative aims to replace coal-fired power with low-carbon, low-air-pollution gas units, according to the company. The plant is Taiwan's largest coal-fired power station.
Taiwan Power Company noted that emissions from coal-fired plants plummeted from 56,000 metric tons in 2016 to 13,000 metric tons in 2025, representing a 77% reduction over nine years. Between 2018 and 2025, the Taichung Power Plant executed over 3,600 environmentally friendly dispatches to balance power stability and environmental concerns. The dispatches adjust power generation based on air quality conditions.
The company invested NT$44.1 billion (around US$1.4 billion) to upgrade air pollution control equipment at coal-fired units, achieving an 81% reduction in emissions from nearly 40,000 metric tons at the 2014 peak to approximately 7,500 metric tons in 2025. Plans include constructing six high-efficiency gas units, with the existing 10 coal units set for decommissioning or backup. This could potentially reduce emissions to about 5,000 metric tons by 2035.
Taiwan Power Company highlighted a 99% reduction in emissions from coal-fired units at the Hsinta Power Plant (興達電廠), located in southern Taiwan, over the past decade through equipment upgrades, environmental load reductions, and fuel switching. The new gas unit No. 1 came online in 2025, and the company expects units No. 2 and No. 3 to connect by the end of 2026, further decreasing emissions from the facility.