File photo of Taiwan DPP chair Tsai Ing-wen.
A sudden power blackout hit the island of Taiwan on Tuesday, affecting almost all industries and millions of households on the island. Ta Kung Pao comments:
The unusually sultry weather, infrastructure damage by recent typhoons and the refusal of the island to consider nuclear power meant the islands precarious electricity supply-demand balance collapsed the moment the Tatan power plant ceased generating electricity after employees accidentally shut off its natural gas valve. The plant produces nearly 9 percent of the island's electricity.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party, instead of leading Taiwan into a bright future as many on the island expected it to, has instead ushered in a new "dark age". Ironically, the blackout hit shortly after the DPP announced it would solve the island's insufficient power supply soon.
The island's "economic minister" took the blame and resigned on Wednesday. However, if the DPP does not change its non-nuclear stance, no matter how many officials resign, it will not make any difference to the matter.
Nuclear power accounts for 14 percent of Taiwan's power supply. But the DPP vowed to eliminate nuclear power by 2025, which would mean by then the electricity generated from renewable resources must increase its share in the island's overall power supply from the current 5 percent to 20 percent.
That means Taiwan needs to increase its renewable power generation fourfold in eight years. However, the average annual growth rate of renewable energy in Taiwan has been about 4.4 percent over the past 15 years.
Given this, it is unreasonable for the DPP to abandon nuclear power, which appears more like a politically-minded decision to appeal to voters rather than a responsible decision based on the island's reality and facts.
Hsinchu Science Park, a key base for high-technology enterprises in the south of Taiwan, was seriously affected by the sudden electricity blackout. If the DPP does not reverse its energy policy, the power shortages will likely prompt more enterprises to leave the island.
