Taipower spokesman Chang Ting-shu (張廷舒) attributed the results to an annual increase in electricity consumption of 5.1 percent, far above what the company had anticipated. The Bureau of Energy had estimated that electricity use would increase 2.6 percent year-on-year, up from 2.1 percent last year. RISING LNG PRICESHowever, the surging price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) internationally has become “a burden” for the company. THE DROUGHTTaiwan Sugar Co (Taisugar, 台糖) reported net profit of NT$685 million, but Taiwan Water was in the red due to a drought earlier this year, the ministry’s State-owned Enterprise Commission said. As the drought affected farmers’ first and second rice harvests, Taiwan Water and the Water Resources Agency paid compensation of NT$1.22 billion each to the farmers, the commission said.

Source: Taipei Times July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC