By constructing more dispersed microgrids across the nation, Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) intends to increase the resilience and stability of the nation’s grid networks and prevent outages. This investment will total NT$564.5 billion (US$18.03 billion) over the next ten years.
After a devastating blackout in early March of this year, which affected 5.49 million homes and hampered operations of semiconductor, cement, and petrochemical factories largely in southern Taiwan, there have been mounting concerns about Taipower’s ability to deliver steady power supply.
Wen-sheng Tseng, the acting chairman of Taipower, stated at a news conference that the March blackout demonstrated the risks associated with an excessive concentration of power networks.
Tseng emphasized that the new project aims to increase the resilience of the power grid by establishing more microgrids rather than relying on large grids for electricity supply, so that if an unexpected failure occurs, its impact can be well managed and the time needed to restore power supply can be significantly reduced.
In order to send electricity directly to industrial customers in significant research parks around the nation, Taipower will change power distribution, increase microgrids, and build transmission lines, according to Wang Yao-ting, president of Taipower. This will cut interregional power supply.
He went on In order to lessen the load on transformers at existing substations and prevent substation tripping, Taiwan also plans to build five additional substations in the next two years and another 28 in the next ten.
According to Taipower, Taiwan’s grids are heavily concentrated in its three main ultra-high voltage (UHV) substations.
According to Taipower, Taiwan’s total power supply is anticipated to be made up of 60–70% decentralized renewable energy by 2050 in order to reach the objective of net-zero emissions.
According to the business, the 10-year project can help regional decentralized power grids expand through the use of green energy storage systems, while also boosting grid network stability and optimizing the use of green energy to hasten the achievement of the zero-net carbon emission target.
