Electricity Prices Will Go Up in April; Further Hikes Expected|4月電價確定漲 經長:還有調漲空間

Electricity prices are about to go up ! Authorities have decided to raise electricity prices by 3 percent in April. As prices have not been adjusted in two years, a second hike is also expected in October. Economic Affairs Minister Shen Jong-chin said during an interpellation at the Legislative Yuan, that Taiwan already has relatively lower electricity prices in Asia and there's still room for more hikes in the future. Electricity prices will go up 3 percent next month. Economic Affairs Minister Shen Jong-chin told lawmakers on the 19th that Taiwan's electricity prices are one of the lowest in Asia and prices have gone down more than up in the past. There were three consecutive rate cuts totaling almost 20 percent. This time, (the hike) is only 3 percent. So, there is still room for (hikes of) 17 more percent. The Ministry of Economic Affairs says private electricity consumption accounts for 30 percent while industrial consumption accounts for the other 70 percent. The price hike will target heavy users, who will be asked to reduce power usage by 1 percent every year. Asked if rumors of a second price hike in October are true, the ministry said nothing has been decided. Several lawmakers also raised concerns about Taiwan's worsening air pollution problem during the interpellation. When will we have clean air again? We will finish everything, including indoor coal storage, before 2023. The Tsai administration has promised a nuclear-free Taiwan by 2025 and is trying to shut down all of the island's nuclear power plants. Industry representatives say Taiwan is barreling towards an energy crisis with no solution in sight. They also say the government needs to raise the green energy ratio to solve the pollution problem. Lawmakers, meanwhile, say electricity prices may continue rising for the foreseeable future.