TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taipower Chair Tseng Wen-sheng (曾文生) said that expansion in the semiconductor and AI sectors is expected to double Taiwan’s annual electricity demand, prompting the company to reassess its power development plans, CNA reported.
Tseng noted that a fab uses about 200 MW of electricity. He estimated that power demand from the semiconductor sector would exceed 5 GW between this year and 2030. Demand will rise further as more AI servers are produced and AI data centers are constructed.
Tseng highlighted Taiwan’s strengths in semiconductor manufacturing, including wafer foundries and packaging. With new plant plans from TSMC, Micron, and Nanya Technology, Taiwan’s semiconductor-related industries are set to grow even further.
Taiwan’s electricity use rose by around 400,000 to 500,000 kW annually over the past decade. But with the technology sector driving demand, the faster pace of growth presents an unprecedented challenge for Taipower, Tseng said.
Taipower has stepped up its power development efforts. This year, four new units at its thermal power plants in Kaohsiung and Taichung are expected to begin operations, adding an estimated 5.2 million kW of electricity.
To ensure a stable power supply, the company said it has also added new units at key thermal power plants, including two under construction at the Mailiao Power Plant in Yunlin, which are expected to provide an additional 2.4 million kW of capacity.
Tseng said Taipower will also adjust its power grid to meet demand from AI data centers. He noted that these facilities are much smaller than typical factories and that some may be located in urban areas, which could put significant pressure on city electricity supplies.
Tseng urged the government to integrate power grid planning into urban development strategies. He also suggested placing semiconductor plants in areas with ample electricity and locating AI computing facilities where the grid can support high-capacity.
Taipower added that it has completed the restart plan for the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant and will submit it to the Nuclear Safety Commission for review before April. In January, it partnered with US nuclear technology provider Westinghouse Electric to carry out safety inspections at the plant, a process expected to take up to two years.
