TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taichung Power Plant will complete its transition from a coal-fired to a gas-powered plant in 2034 as planned, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said during a visit on Friday.
The plant in Longjing District operated by Taiwan Power Co. has often been blamed for high pollution levels in the central Taiwan city, per Liberty Times.
Taipower is investing more than NT$40 billion (US$1.26 billion) in the transition, with a reduction of 80% in air pollution for the Taichung area since 2014 as a result, Cho said.
The premier said that six units were used as backups for emergencies related to national security or natural disasters.
Cho said a plan for four gas-turbine units has passed an environmental impact review. Construction will last from 2031 to 2034 and run parallel with the demolition of old coal-fired units, according to the premier.
The program will fulfill a promise made by the government in 2024 to give Taichung a coal-free energy supply within a decade, Cho said.
