Taoyuan LNG terminal ‘key to energy plan’REFERENDUM RISK: The minister of economic affairs said that there is no plan B for the proposed third LNG terminal if Taipei wants to phase out nuclear power by 2025By Angelica Oung / Staff reporterThe government’s energy transition plan depends on the construction of the proposed third liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal off the coast of Datan Borough (大潭) in Taoyuan’s Guanyin District (觀音) to increase LNG power generation, Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA) Wang Mei-hua (王美花) said yesterday. The two existing LNG receiving terminals are already running at full capacity, necessitating the third LNG terminal, Wang said. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉) asked Wang whether the ministry has a backup plan if a referendum to block the terminal plan prevails. “The MOEA calls for the swift construction of the third LNG terminal to reduce the amount of coal burned.”“Gas from the third LNG terminal would fulfill the power needs of 10 million Taiwanese and close the power gap in the north of Taiwan,” Wang said. “This would allow us to generate power where it is used, lowering systemic risk.”LNG power generation releases approximately 50 percent less greenhouse gas than coal-fired power generation, and much fewer pollutants.

Source: Taipei Times March 17, 2021 15:56 UTC