CNA file photo

Taipei. Aug. 6 (CNA) The likelihood of a red-light alert being triggered in Taiwan's power supply sector on Monday will recede slightly with the repair of a broken furnace pipe at a coal-fired power plant in Taichung, according to state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower).

The broken pipe in the Taichung Power Plant's No. 1 generator should be repaired by Sunday night, said Taipower spokesman Lin Te-fu (林德福) on Sunday.

The generator is expected to be operational by 6 a.m. Monday, providing 550,000 kilowatts in the peak power consumption period of 1-3 p.m, he added.

According to Taipower projections, system net peak capacity will be 36.56 million kW on Monday.

Power supply capacity nationwide has been cut by 1.3 million kW following the collapse of a transmission tower, operated by independent power producer Ho-Ping Power Co. in Hualien County, last weekend when Typhoon Nesat and Tropical Storm Haitang swept through Taiwan.

The generator malfunction at Taichung Power Plant led to a further reduction in electricity supply of an additional 530,000 kW, creating the possibility that a red-light alert could be triggered on Monday, indicating operating reserves have dropped below 900,000 kW.

Under Taipower's five-color power consumption warning system, a green light means operating reserve margins are above 10 percent, a yellow light represents power reserves of between 6-10 percent, while an orange light indicates reserves below 6 percent.

A red alert means power reserves have dropped below 900,000 kW, while a black alert indicates reserves have fallen to less than 500,000 kW, making power rationing necessary.

(By Tsai Yi-chu and Elizabeth Hsu)
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