Taipower Reassures Ample Summer Power Supply Despite Nighttime Dual-Peak Demand Challenges

In response to recent concerns and inquiries raised by the Budget Center of the Legislative Yuan regarding the stability of Taiwan's future nighttime power supply and power dispatch planning, the Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) issued an official response today. Through a press release and public explanations, Taipower emphasized that, based on current precise power supply-demand forecasts and generator dispatch planning, the operating reserve margin across Taiwan is projected to fall entirely within the green zone—representing sufficient power supply—throughout the traditional peak electricity consumption period from July to October this summer. Meanwhile, to address the increasingly severe challenges of nighttime peak loads, multiple large-scale new gas-fired power units will be successively integrated into Taipower's power generation fleet this year, adding a total installed capacity of up to 5.2 million kilowatts to significantly strengthen system resilience and stability.

A deeper examination of Taiwan's electricity supply and demand structure in recent years reveals a significant shift in power consumption patterns. In the past, Taiwan's peak electricity demand typically occurred on hot summer afternoons, primarily driven by industrial electricity consumption and the full operation of residential and commercial air conditioning. However, with industrial restructuring, sustained economic activity, and changes in public lifestyles, nighttime electricity demand no longer decreases synchronously with the setting of the sun; instead, it frequently forms another high-load peak period from evening to nighttime. This phenomenon, termed a "dual peak" by energy experts, poses a major test for power system dispatching. Particularly when solar power generation drops to zero after nightfall, the traditional power grid must rely on other base-load and mid-load power sources capable of rapid start-up and high stability to fill the gap. This is the core reason why the Budget Center of the Legislative Yuan has expressed a high degree of concern regarding nighttime power supply issues.

To dispel external doubts about nighttime power supply and future energy supply and demand, Taipower has adopted a multi-pronged strategy in its planning, with the most critical link being the successive commissioning of new generating units. According to Taipower's engineering progress and dispatch schedule, several heavyweight power generation units will officially join the power supply system this year. These include the new gas-fired units 1 and 2 in Taichung, as well as the new gas-fired units 2 and 3 of the Hsinta Power Plant in Kaohsiung. These next-generation gas-fired units not only boast higher power generation efficiency and lower carbon emissions compared to traditional units burning heavy fuel oil or coal—aligning with the nation's promoted trends of energy transition and environmental protection and carbon reduction—but their massive combined installed capacity of 5.2 million kilowatts also serves as the strongest backing to ensure a trouble-free power supply this summer and through October. They will effectively share the burden of existing aging units and provide stable power support during nighttime peak hours.

In addition to the expansion of hardware equipment and the addition of new units, Taipower has also carried out extensive optimization work in grid management and demand-side management to cope with the unique challenges of nighttime power supply. On the supply side, hydroelectric power plays the role of a relief pitcher through flexible dispatching, utilizing pumped-storage hydroelectricity to pump water back to the upper reservoir during off-peak hours and rapidly releasing water for power generation during nighttime peak hours to smooth out supply fluctuations. At the same time, Taipower has strengthened the scheduling and control of routine maintenance for traditional thermal power plants to ensure all units can enter the field in optimal condition before the peak electricity consumption season arrives. On the demand side, Taipower continues to promote and refine demand response measures, guiding large industrial users to adjust their production schedules during specific tight electricity consumption periods. Through price incentives, users are encouraged to shift their electricity usage, effectively shaving peaks and filling valleys to reduce the sudden load pressure faced by the power grid at night.

A comprehensive assessment of Taipower's current dispatch strategies, the commissioning progress of new units, and scientific load forecasting indicates that the power supply situation from July to October possesses a highly stable foundation. This forms the basis for the operating reserve margins being able to entirely display the green lights representing adequate power supply. Although Taiwan will continue to face external challenges on the path toward net-zero carbon emissions and energy transition—such as extreme high temperatures caused by climate change, fluctuations in international fuel prices, and grid security—by continuously adding high-efficiency gas-fired units and refining energy storage and smart grid construction, Taiwan's overall power supply safety net is step by step developing toward greater resilience, aiming to balance the electricity demands of industrial development with the quality of life for the public.