TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipower (台電), Taiwan's state-owned power company, executives issued public apologies Wednesday (Sept. 10) following a devastating natural gas explosion at the Hsinta Power Plant (興達電廠) in Kaohsiung the previous evening. The blast occurred during testing of new gas unit No. 2, with plant manager Hung Kuei-chung (洪貴忠) confirming the incident resulted from a gas leak. Officials conducted the emergency briefing at the Yongan District (永安區) office as community concerns mounted over safety protocols.
Community leaders voiced sharp criticism of Taipower's crisis management response following the dangerous explosion. Village chiefs condemned the company's delayed resident notifications, arguing the communication failures endangered local lives and property throughout the affected area. Local officials demanded comprehensive reviews of Taipower's disaster notification systems to prevent similar communication breakdowns in future emergency situations.
Kaohsiung Deputy Mayor Charles Lin (林欽榮) attempted to calm public fears by announcing drone deployment for continuous temperature monitoring at the blast site. Hsin Kang Village (新港里) Chief He Ying-cheng (何應成) demanded comprehensive property damage assessments for affected residents, emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and transparency from both local authorities and Taipower. He warned the explosion could have massive long-term impacts on the surrounding community.
Taipower immediately shut down both units No. 1 and No. 2, following the massive explosion at the facility. Economic Affairs Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) reassured citizens that power supply disruptions would remain minimal, while acknowledging backup units might require activation to maintain electricity quality. The Hsinta Power Plant ranks as Taiwan's third-largest power generation facility, contributing a significant 3.8% of the nation's total electricity supply.
