Taiwan's hydropower plants hard-hit by drought this year

 

Taiwan's hydroelectric power generation has been hit hard by the drought this year, including the Dajia River Hydropower Plant in Taichung, Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) said Tuesday.

According to the state-run utility company, hydroelectric power plants contribute roughly 2 percent-3 percent of electricity to the nation's power grid every year.

The combined power generation of Taiwan's hydropower plants dropped to 1.319 billion kWh in the first quarter of the year from 1.385 billion kWh in the same period last year, Taipower explained.

Of all the hydroelectric plants, the Taichung facility suffered the most significant drop at 46 percent, due to declining water levels in the Dajia River, it said.

Due to the lasting drought, many hydro plants have been unable to achieve their intended effectiveness because water also has to be released from the dams so that the surrounding populace can have water.

This is especially the case in central Taiwan, where water has to be released downstream to supply the Zhuoshui River, it said.

"The hydro plants are really struggling this year," the company said, forecasting that the situation will not get any better in the next four to five months.

Tseng Chih-yi and Ko Lin

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