The Taiwan Power Company played down rumors that it has plans to build a coal-burning power plant at Taipei Harbor. The comments came as Taipower held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss its budget for 2014.
The rumors suggested that the plant would make up for the energy deficit now that construction has been halted on the nation’s fourth nuclear power plant.
But Economics Minister Chang Chia-juch said that an environmental impact assessment would prove to be a major obstacle with the plant at Taipei Harbor. He said Taipower needs to work on all different types of energy production, rather than putting all its eggs in one basket.
Taipower Chairman Hwang Jung-chiou said that the coal-burning power plant is just one of several long-term plans.
"When it comes to whether the plan will be implemented, whether the environmental impact assessment will pass, whether Taipower can finance the project, there are a lot of variables," said Hwang.
"I think this plan will not be chosen as an alternative [to the nuclear power plant]. Also, it’s merely undergoing an internal review, so it’s not a formal construction project," he said.
Hwang said that the fourth nuclear power plant is a major investment project which would provide considerable power. Therefore, he said, it would be impossible to quickly come up with an alternative plan.