Electric usage on Monday peaks to second-highest figure recorded

2022-07-26

Electricity usage continues to hit new highs as the summer heat continues. Taiwan on Monday saw a peak usage of 40.67 million kilowatts, the second highest figure ever recorded. But with localized blackouts in the evening and the operating reserve dropping under 10% on Tuesday, concerns are floating about the stability of Taiwan’’s power supply.

It’s hot out. Pedestrians brave the scorching sun with umbrellas and sunglasses. At home, the air con is on at least 12 hour a day. On Monday, Taiwan’s electricity usage peaked at 40.67 million kilowatts, the second highest figure ever recorded. But in the evening, blackouts took over areas of Xinzhuang in New Taipei and Wanhua in Taipei, leaving about 4,000 households in each district without electricity. Economics minister Wang Mei-hua addressed the issue on Tuesday.

Wang Mei-hua
Minister of economic affairs
The causes for the recent blackouts fall under three types, more or less. One is device malfunction. Another one is animals that cause faults in the system. And the other is accidents in which equipment is hit by an external force. It’s very hot lately, and everyone has the air con on at home. So whenever there is a blackout at night, everyone feels it more.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs says the exceptionally hot weather has caused a surge in air con usage. Last Friday alone, low-voltage electricity users used 694,000 kilowatts of electricity more than the day with highest usage in 2021. On Tuesday, the operating reserve went down to 9.36%, causing the power supply alert to flash yellow.

Wang Mei-hua
Minister of economic affairs
International fuel prices are very high. And private cogeneration is down. On top of that, we have to purchase electricity from Taipower. That has caused electric usage to grow. Taipower is negotiating contracts with the relevant cogeneration companies

The minister says that during the day, solar power can help meet demand, and at night, hydropower can offer a boost to the grid, to ensure a stable supply.

週一用電創史上次高王美花打包票"供電無虞"

2022-07-26

最近天氣異常炎熱，讓家家戶戶冷氣開不停，25號尖峰用電量甚至又飆到4067萬千瓦，創下歷史次高紀錄，不過最近頻頻在晚間發生停電事故，今天備轉容量率也不到10%，亮起供電吃緊燈號，經濟部長王美花對此打包票，將透過調整需量反應及水力發電，確保供電無虞。

酷熱的太陽高掛空中，路上民眾有的撐傘，有的戴墨鏡。家家戶戶冷氣轉個不停，一天少說也要開12小時起跳，光是25號，尖峰用電量又飆到4067萬千瓦，成為史上第二高，晚間新莊區及萬華區，甚至分別發生3982及4052戶停電事故，讓經濟部長王美花，趕緊出面救火。

[[經濟部長王美花]]
“相關的地方的停電，大概最近都是三種類型，一個就是電器有故障，一個就是有的時候確實是動物的干擾，那另外有一些甚至是一些事故，被外力撞擊的問題，那因為現在實在是太熱了，大家回家都有開冷氣，所以如果晚上有停電的時候，大家感受會比較深一點”

經濟部說明，氣溫異常炎熱，讓冷氣用電大幅增加，光是7/22這天，低壓用電，就比去年尖峰日增加69.4萬千瓦，今天為何備轉容量率只有9.36%，亮起供電吃緊黃色燈號。

[[經濟部長王美花]]
“國際的燃料非常貴，民間的汽電共生少發了，少發之外還要來購買台電的電力，也讓用電有多的成長，這個部分台電也在跟汽電共生業者，趕快把相關的契約做調整”

王美花說，白天有太陽光電，夜間有需量反應、水力機組，增加供電能力，要確保全台供電能夠穩定無虞。