TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA) underscored on Wednesday (May 1) the necessity of a power price hike to ensure a stable supply from state-owned Taipower.
MOEA Minister Wang Mei-hua pointed to the sharp rise in international fuel costs due to the Russia-Ukraine war and the increased electricity prices globally. Taiwan, however, adopted moderate measures to allow Taipower to absorb the costs and cause losses.
Wang emphasized that the electricity price adjustment is mainly targeting exporters who consume heavy electricity, "which can mitigate the impact on people's livelihood."
Failure to implement the hike, Wang warned, "would greatly impact Taipower's finances and will not be conducive to Taipower's stable power supply.”
The Legislative Yuan voted for the government to halt the electricity price hike a day earlier, with the proposal from the Kuomintang (KMT) gaining majority support.
Legislators stressed their role as representatives of the people, indicating that most Taiwanese oppose the price hike and that the central government should listen to public opinion.
