Taiwan greenlights tests for 2 gas-fired units in Taichung power plant

But the local government has lodged a protest in opposition.

Two new natural gas-fired generators can now be added to Taiwan’s Taichung power plant after the country’s Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) approved the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the units, Taiwan’s central news agency reports.

The generators will have an installed capacity of 2.6 million kW, according to Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower). They will be built within the existing land already owned by the company.

The projects went through three EPA reviews between October 2018 and June 2019 and were subjected to a fourth review. Environmental groups were critical and said that the power plant failed to reduce its coal-powered generators.

Taichung's power plant currently has 10 coal-fired power generators. Its plan is to only use six of the generators after the two new natural gas generators are activated.

However, the Taichung City government objected to EPA’s approval and has lodged a protest as a result. The coal plant has a history of getting fined for exceeding the maximum coal use permitted for the year and failing to cease the use of raw coal for power generation.