At the Cabinet's weekly meeting today, Premier Lin Chuan apologized to the nation for the disruptions caused by the widespread blackout on Tuesday when an operational error at Taoyuan's Datan Power Plant tripped six generators and reduced the nation's power supply by 12 percent. The Taiwan Power Co. promptly activated power rationing measures and fully restored power by 9:40 p.m. that day.
A reliable energy supply is essential for economic development and national security, the premier said. The Executive Yuan has therefore appointed Minister without Portfolio Wu Hong-mo to lead a Cabinet-level task force to investigate the problems uncovered during this incident, including those relating to system design, operating procedures and operational management. The task force will include outside experts and professionals to get to the bottom of the causes of the power failure.
From the recent collapse of the power transmission tower at the Ho-Ping Power Plant to this week's blackout, it is clear that instabilities in the nation's electricity supply should be viewed in a system-wide context rather than as mere isolated incidents, the premier said. He has asked Minister Wu Tsung-Tsong to begin a comprehensive examination into the safety of Taiwan's concentrated power supply structure, the stability of the entire electricity grid, and ways of making the system tougher, more reliable, and more disaster resistant. The premier also instructed government agencies to conduct immediate reviews of other critical infrastructure and strengthen response measures for a safer environment.