The ECCT LCI is pleased to extend our warmest welcome to our first new member in 2019—Taiwan Power Company (Taipower). The Taiwan Power Company was established on May 1, 1946. It is a vertically integrated, state-owned company with businesses covering power generation, transmission, distribution and sales. According to the Electricity Act of Taiwan, Taipower is the only provider for Taiwan’s electricity grid infrastructure. Taipower’s total operating revenue in 2017 was NTD 567 billion; revenue from electricity sales constituted 95.8% of Taipower’s operating revenues for 2017. In terms of transmission and distribution, at the end of 2017 Taipower operated 607 transmission (sub) stations along 17,715 circuit kms of transmission lines and 369,027 circuit kms of distribution lines.

Taiwan has set 2025 as the target deadline for energy transformation composed of the development of renewable energy and a nuclear-free homeland. In the past 16 years (2002-2017), Taipower had invested a total of NT$ 22.2 billion in independent inland wind farms and solar power generation projects. Taipower’s ongoing power projects include solar power Phases 2-4, wind power phase 5, the Penghu low-carbon island project, offshore wind farm phases 1 and 2, the Green Island geothermal experiment, and other small renewable energy projects. Thus far, a total of 1.8GW of green energy has been integrated into the power grid and Taipower had received applications for another 7.5GW (as of February 13 2018).

According to Taipower’s 2018 Sustainability Report 2018, Taipower is planning to invest NT$ 400 billion over the next 15 years to achieve the objectives of generating 1,800 MW of offshore wind power, 1,000 MW of solar power, 600 MW of onshore wind power and 100 MW of geothermal power. Should all these projects be completed as scheduled, Taipower will be able to increase the capacity of green power by 8,400 GWh as compared to 2016. According to estimates, Taipower will be able to contribute approximately 8,970 GWh of green power by 2025, which is roughly equivalent to 17.42% of the entire island’s annual green power generation (including Taipower and IPPs) of 51,500 GWh (estimate), thereby reducing carbon dioxide emission by 4,736 thousand metric tons.