Taiwan Power Company conveyed hopes that the coal procurement budget would align with lower coal consumption targets. The Economics Committee of Taiwan's Legislative Yuan decided to cut NT$6 billion (about US$1.9 billion) from the coal-fired power generation budget last week, TVBS News reported.

Taipower noted that its coal consumption reached 25 million tonnes this year and planned to reduce it to 22 million tonnes next year. The company has already independently reduced it by 3 million tonnes.

Hsinta Power Plant in Kaohsiung is switching from coal to natural gas, and coal consumption is expected to drop to 1.35 million tonnes by December 2024. The planned reduction of 3 million tonnes in 2025 is an established measure, not a new measure suggested by lawmakers, Taipower said.

Taipower warned that a significant reduction in the coal budget could affect power dispatch flexibility, especially in extreme weather or natural gas unit failures. Nonetheless, Taipower respects the Legislative Yuan's budget review and decision-making power while addressing the challenges of climate change.