Electricity prices to go up by an average of 11% from April

Electricity prices to go up by an average of 11% from April

2024-03-22

The government has come to an agreement on electricity price increases, which will come into effect in April. Prices will go up for all users except for agricultural and fishery companies, schools and social welfare groups. Electricity rates for homes and small businesses will see prices go up in progressive brackets of between 3% and 10% depending on consumption. Industrial users will see prices jump by anywhere from 15% to 25%. Let’s hear from the economics ministry.

Lin Chuan-neng
Economics vice minister
The rates will be raised in progressive tiers. That is to say, if you consume more than 1,000 kilowatt hours, that doesn’t mean the price of all of them will go up by 10%. Only the kilowatt hours you consume past the first 1,000 will cost 10% more. If you conserve energy, you can avoid paying the higher rates.

Lin Ming-ju
CNFI
The increases should have been set at levels that the industry can accept. This outcome is hard to swallow. Frankly, the industrial sector is bearing the full burden of the higher rates. For us, prices will go up by 15% on average, and even up to 25%. This will impact the competitiveness of big enterprises.

Electricity rates will go up by an average of 11%, with the average price per kilowatt hour coming to NT$3.45. Amid concerns that higher prices could fuel inflation, the central bank on Thursday announced an increase to interest rates of 12.5 basis points.

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4月民生用電漲3至10% 工業最多漲25% 工總:很痛苦

2024-03-22

電價調幅討論多時，傍晚終於拍板定案，除了農漁、學校、社福團體，其餘4月電價全面調漲。一般民生用電，小商家，各自依照4個級距漲3至10%，工業用電平均漲15%、最多25%。

[[經濟部次長林全能]]
“看到這個調幅，其實它是一個累進的級距，不是說你用電達到一千度，全部的用電都是調漲10%，是那超過那1000度，1001度的那一度，是調幅是10%，我想節能的話，它事實上是可以，免掉這個比較高的一個用電級距”

[[工總副理事長林明儒]]
“漲幅也要讓產業界能夠接受，蠻痛苦的一個(結果)，其實坦白講，產業界承擔整個漲價的責任，我們電價漲幅都平均大概15%，甚至有到25%，那這個都會影響大企業未來的競爭性”

這次電價調漲，平均漲約11%，一度電來到3.4518元，就怕電價一漲，萬物跟著漲，央行週四已經先出招，宣布升息半碼，就是要打擊通膨、降低電價調漲影響。

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Ahead of his inauguration on May 20, president-elect Lai Ching-te is visiting various local industries. On Friday, he paid a visit to UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center in Chiayi, where he met with drone industry players. Lai noted that national defense and the economy are two pillars that prop up the survival and development of Taiwan. He promised that he would quickly gain an understanding of matters relating to Taiwan’s national defense and national security, and he would also work to understand the aspirations of the industry.

Before he takes office on May 20, President-elect Lai Ching-te is holding exchanges with local industries. He started out at the Hsinchu Science Park, where he met with semiconductor industry players. He then went to Chiayi County to visit the UAV AI Innovation Application R&D Center.

Lai Ching-te
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We hope to listen to the voices of industry players on the frontlines, so that industries and the government can collaborate and resolve difficulties facing business circles in a timely manner. Everyone stands together so that our industries can continue to advance and our Taiwanese companies can gain a foothold outside Taiwan. They can be deployed globally and market things to the world, so that our nation is even better, more secure, and more stable.

More than 20 drone manufacturers were present, and Lai listened to them and explained his ideas. This was not only because he deeply understands that drones are widely used in various industries, but they also play an important role in national defense.

Lai Ching-te
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National defense and economy are two pillars that support the survival and development of the country. In order to have a seamless transition and let the country continue to progress steadily, I will make good use of my previous time before May 20 to quickly have a grasp of matters relating to national defense and national security.

Industry players at the meeting displayed a variety of commercial drones that can be used by the military. They also told Lai that they hoped that his new government can continue to inject resources into this industry and strengthen national defense capabilities. Last month, Vice President-elect Hsiao Bi-khim paid a visit to this drone center, showing that both she and Lai attaches great importance to the industry.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
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Hello Taiwan sets up office in Taipei to boost Taiwan’s international presence

New York-based NGO Hello Taiwan has opened a new office in Taipei. The organization, which was founded by Taiwanese American Ming Chiang, is seen as a powerful promoter of people-to-people diplomacy between the U.S. and Taiwan. Since founding the organization in 2018, Chiang had always wanted to set down roots in Taiwan by establishing the NGO’s headquarters here.

Ming Chiang
Hello Taiwan founder
Whether you are a business, an artist, a scholar or just a regular Taiwan lover, Hello Taiwan welcomes you.

Hello Taiwan is an organization founded by Ming Chiang, a Taiwanese American. The group has now announced the opening of an office in Taipei.

Ming Chiang
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When I founded Hello Taiwan in New York, the plan was to set up headquarters in Taiwan within five years. We want to grow Hello Taiwan’s mission from Taiwan to the world.

Randy Feenstra
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I want to congratulate you all on officially opening the Taipei office of Hello Taiwan. Through your hard work and advocacy, Hello Taiwan has organized and sponsored over 100 events around the U.S. to educate the American people about Taiwanese culture and history.

Due to Taiwan’s unique international status, there are many limits to what the country can do in an official capacity. That’s where many NGOs step in. Hello Taiwan’s founder Chiang has used his business connections in New York to promote people-to-people diplomacy between Taiwan and the U.S. His efforts have won support from politicians in the U.S., and it’s thanks to his help that events such as art exhibitions and the Mets Taiwan Day are held.

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Thanks to the founding of the Hello Taiwan office, Taiwan and the U.S. can enjoy increasingly deeper ties between people and lawmakers.

Puma Shen
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Due to Taiwan’s international situation, there is no fast way for the government to link up with other governments. But with civic groups like Hello Taiwan, people connect with people first, and then governments connect later. It’s a process that’s very familiar to us in Taiwan, and it’s also the quickest path to do so.

Doong Sy-chi
Taiwan Think Tank
While setting down roots in Taiwan, it can help build consensus, a sense of identity and confidence. It allows the people of Taiwan to help Taiwan.

Chiang hopes the NGO will help Taiwan have more of a global presence, so that people from all over the world can appreciate what Taiwan has to offer.

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Taiwan officials urge caution when traveling to Hong Kong after passing of Article 23

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Hung Sun-han
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In comparison with the national security law of 2020, Article 23 uses vaguer language that allows authoritarian leaders to further abuse their power.

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Tong Wai-hung
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Article 23 contains vague definitions for crimes and unclear procedures for law enforcement, which could potentially put foreign nationals at risk. Taiwan National Security Bureau head Tsai Ming-yen urges travelers heading to Hong Kong to be careful with what they say. Online comments or text messages that contain criticism of the Chinese government or China’s economy could give rise to problems at the Hong Kong border. Meanwhile, transport minister Wang Kwo-tsai has called on the general public to avoid traveling to Hong Kong unless absolutely necessary.

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Spotlight on one of Taiwan’s top orchestral conductors and his passion for cycling

Now, we take a look at one of Taiwan’s rising orchestral conductors - and his passion for cycling. Tseng Wei-yung is a busy professional conductor with lots of prizes under his belt. But after a habit of working late led to health problems, he realized that something had to change. Now he spends 15 hours a week on his bike, and competes in major amateur cycling races. He says the flow state he enters while cycling is similar to how it feels to work with an orchestra.

The cyclist grips the handlebars, full steam ahead. The magnificent views all around Taiwan are part of what makes cycling a passion for Tseng Wei-yung. His career as a conductor is hectic, but he spends at least 15 hours a week training on the bike, maintaining his physical and mental health. In October 2023, he rode up to Wuling Pass on Mount Hehuan, winning the amateur trophy in the Taiwan KOM Challenge.

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Tseng Wei-yung
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It feels just like when you’re up against a great piece of art. “How shall I interpret this orchestral piece?” It’s like when I’m cycling, and I think “How shall I interpret this competition?” So it’s very interesting, when you’re riding, it’s like you’re also conducting.

Whether it’s a conductor’s baton or handlebars in his hands, in the auditorium or rolling down a highway in the wind, conducting and cycling are one for Tseng.

Tseng Wei-yung
Conductor
When we travel to perform in townships all over the country, they’ve got to take their cellos. I only need to take my baton, so I can take my bike along. They have the cellos and I have my bike.

Years ago, Tseng frequently worked late into the night, and didn’t prioritize his health. That once led to disaster in an important international competition. It was a big wakeup call for Tseng. He spent prize money from conducting on a bike that cost over NT$200,000, and began to train every day. He realized that cycling brings him into a flow state, which is good for his health and, he says, brings him spiritual energy.

Tseng Wei-yung
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Cycling is very solitary. When you face a tough training session, or a difficult competition, you need enormous willpower to confront yourself. And it’s the same with conducting. When you face the orchestra, you’re alone with the score – it’s a conversation with yourself.

When he takes off his trainers and dons his suit, he’s ready to conduct another performance that’s full of life.

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Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – typically an underwater rainbow of color. Now parts of it are a spotted canvas of white.

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Surangel Whipps Jr.
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Jessica Stone, VOA News.

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Ana Maria Micu
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The first image that starts this series is about me crawling from an enclosure It is a place of comfort. I absolutely must get out of there in order to follow my dreams and do what I want to do.

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Scaffolding comes from this lingering memory that I have of watching many years ago the movie "The Agony and the Ecstasy" which portrays the life of Michelangelo. I remember the difficulties that he had to face to climb the wood scaffolding that was constructed for him to paint on the ceiling. The personal message for the exhibition is that you should somehow overcome the limitations of your situation.

Micu is a visual artist from Romania. She graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Arts and Design of Cluj-Napoca in Romania. This is Micu’s fourth exhibition in Taipei.

Ana Maria Micu
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I did a mural here on site. It is about the expansion of the soul, about providing a background for an existing painting that I did in my studio. We are thinking that the installation is immersive. The viewers could experience some sort of feelings in front of it. I hope they will come and see.

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