TAICHUNG (TVBS News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) on Tuesday (April 29) urged the government to adapt its energy policy to international circumstances, especially amid looming tariff challenges. Mayor Lu's remarks come as the Maanshan Nuclear Power Plant's (核三廠) No. 2 reactor prepares for decommissioning on May 17, which Economic Minister J.W. Kuo (郭智輝) said will increase reliance on thermal power.
Lu emphasized Taichung's role as home to Taiwan's largest thermal power plant and called for flexible government strategies. She cited recent blackouts in Portugal, Spain, and France, which disrupted economies and livelihoods and heightened public concern about Taiwan's energy policy. Mayor Lu argued that the economic minister should communicate alternative energy sources and their health impacts to industries and the public.
Expressing concern over potential power shortages, Mayor Lu questioned whether the cost of alternative energy could trigger electricity price hikes. She noted that even with government subsidies, taxpayers ultimately bear the cost. Mayor Lu suggested that the government should respond flexibly to international economic conditions.
