[Environmental][Energy] Dilemma of Development or Environmental Protection? Dalin Power Plant Reconstruction Project Referred for Review

[Environmental][Energy] Dilemma of Development or Environmental Protection? Dalin Power Plant Reconstruction Project Referred for Review (Chinese Version)

Taiwan Power Company's Dalin Power Plant planned to replace the old generator sets to meet the power demand and the environmental protection laws' requirement in the future, but this invited objections in the neighborhood. The reconstruction project was referred to Environmental Protection Administration for review on 29th-Jul., drawing much attention.

Commercial Times (2009/07/29) reports, the oldest power plant in south Taiwan Dalin Power Plant presently has five generator sets which will have been working for forty years in 2015. If they are not replaced, the plant will not suffice the environmental protectional law's requirement and the electricity needs. Hence Taiwan Power Company Dalin Power Plant planned to build four supercritical coal combustion generators with high efficiency to replace the old ones, which is estimated to generate 3.2 million kWp and halve air pollution.

However, the local government and public do not agree with the plan. China Times (2009/07/29) reports, Kaohsiung City Government held “Happy Kaosiung” the evening prayer gathering to boycott the plan. Green Party Taiwan, Mercy on the Earth Taiwan, et al. planned to protest as well on 29th-Jul. in front of Environmental Protection Administration, exclaiming “Kaohsiung people's lungs are not air cleaner!” On 28th, many environmental parties presented an ad on three major newspapers, criticizing central government's insisting on reconstruction is actually a bullying and indicates north-south-inequality. The Liberty Times (2009/07/29) repeats Kaohsiung Mayoress Chu CHEN's resentment against the expansion plan, expressing that Kaohsiung absolutely objects to the unwelcome plan which may result in serious pollution, hoping Environmental Protection Administration not to let the plan pass.

Taiwan Power Company insists however that the new generator sets will reduce air pollution. Economic Daily (2009/07/29) repeats Taipower that with the four supercritical coal combustion generators replacing the old five sets, 0.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emission will be reduced per year with the same volume of power generation, and the carbon emission intensity will decrease from 925 to 789 grammes per degree of electricity. That is, if the reconstruction is done, Dalin Power Plant will halve the polluted emission. Besides, Taipower will use the discharged carbon dioxide to culture microalgae. This is not only part of the carbon dioxide reduction but also a decoration to Kaohsiung's night city view when the microalgae culturing is done with a three-dimensional tank that is built around the chimney with lighting design. Taipower promises that Xingda Plant will give away the reduction quanta, that oxysulfide and nitrogen oxides emission will be reduced 50 % after the reconstruction. As for the suspended solid, most will be captured with the advanced collecting equipment, and with the rest Taiwan Power Company will try to deal by “wash and sweep the streets.”

Economic Daily (2009/07/29) reports that Taipower Engineer-General Yueh-Yuan TU said, South Taiwan will suffer form electricity shortage since 2016. If the generators are not replaced and the occurring of the new generators' commercial operation is not advanced as soon as possible, it will be too late to avoid serious power shortage in South Taiwan. Taipower said, greenhouse effect is a global issue. With Dalin's introducing new generators which can help a lot with the carbon reduction, Kaohsiung area's total carbon discharge volume will be reduced as well, at the same time enhancing the city's competitiveness. Of course this also helps with the reduction of the whole of Taiwan's power generation departments.


Further Information:
Commercial Times / Chinatimes-Money 2009/07/29 (Chinese)
Economic Daily / udn.com-Finance 2009/07/29 (Chinese)
Economic Daily / udn.com-Finance 2009/07/29 (Chinese)
The Liberty Times E-paper 2009/07/29 (Chinese)
China Times E-paper 2009/07/29 (Chinese)
China Times E-paper 2009/07/29
udn.com 2009/07/29 (Chinese)