Premier Cho Jung-tai Inspects Mingtan Power Plant to Boost Infrastructure Resilience

To strengthen the defense resilience of national critical infrastructure, Premier Cho Jung-tai inspected the Mingtan Power Plant in Nantou on the 25th. Highly affirming Taipower's plan to invest NT$25 billion to indoorize the switchyards of two major power plants, including Mingtan, Premier Cho emphasized that government investment in energy must not be delayed for even a single day. He stated that the government will wholeheartedly support Taipower's various power generation and grid resilience projects to ensure national power supply security and stability.

Located near Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County's Shuili Township, the Mingtan Power Plant is Taiwan's largest pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant and plays a crucial role in the national power system. Pumped-storage hydroelectric power features rapid startup and shutdown capabilities, allowing it to quickly support the power grid during peak electricity hours while serving as an important tool for regulating the intermittent fluctuations of renewable energy. However, most of the switchyards inside the power plant were previously outdoor, open-air facilities. Long-term exposure to the natural environment not only made them susceptible to weather conditions, but also left them vulnerable to geopolitical risks and potential security threats, making the upgrading of their protection level an urgent priority.

In recent years, amid changing international dynamics and heightened national security considerations, the protection of critical infrastructure has been listed as a top priority in government governance. The Executive Yuan and the Ministry of Economic Affairs have continued to promote various power grid resilience and protection projects, with the "indoorization of switchyards" serving as one of the core strategies. By moving originally open-air power switching equipment into sturdy indoor buildings, it not only effectively shields the facilities from extreme weather interference such as lightning strikes and heavy rain, but also significantly enhances their disaster resistance and protection capabilities against external damage, ensuring that the power plant can maintain basic operations during emergencies and reducing the risk of a nationwide grid collapse.

During the inspection, Premier Cho pointed out that energy is the lifeblood of national economic development and social operation, and the government's investment in energy infrastructure must be forward-looking and timely, with absolutely no delays due to any factors. In addition to gaining a firsthand understanding of the current operations and indoorization engineering plans of the Mingtan Power Plant, his visit also served to encourage frontline Taipower engineering personnel. Through this NT$25 billion funding injection and policy support, the government has demonstrated its determination to comprehensively upgrade Taiwan's power resilience, hoping to guarantee public electricity safety while ensuring a stable power supply.