Household electricity rates to rise 3.12% on average

Taipei, Sept. 19 (CNA) Household electricity rates in Taiwan will increase by an average of 3.12 percent per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from October 2025 to March 2026, but industrial rates will remain unchanged.

The price adjustments -- which translate to an average increase of 0.71 percent for all users -- were approved on Friday by the Electricity Rate Review Committee, an independent panel of experts, industry representatives and government officials convened by the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA).

For the purposes of electricity pricing, "households" covers both residential users and small businesses with relatively low electricity consumption.

The modest adjustment, affecting more than 14 million households, aims to ease financial pressure on state-run Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower), the MOEA said in a news release.

Currently, the average residential electricity price is NT$2.77 per kWh, below the supply cost of NT$3.8 per kWh, the MOEA added.

For a family of four using 700 kWh per month in the future, the increase adds NT$0.1 per kWh, or up to NT$70 more monthly. Usage between 701-1,000 kWh will rise NT$0.2 per kWh, and above 1,000 kWh by NT$0.4.

Small businesses using less than 700 kWh will see the same NT$0.1 increase, while higher tiers remain unchanged to limit price impacts.

Taipower data show that about 93 percent of the 13.77 million residential users consume less than 700 kWh per month, while small businesses account for roughly 1.05 million users.

Taipower's accumulated losses reached NT$417.9 billion by the end of July, while proposed subsidies did not clear the Legislature, prompting the committee to approve this modest household rate adjustment.