On 1:49 p.m. of July 31, when Taiwan's power consumption peaked at 36.906 million kilowatts/hour, output of PV power and hydraulic power reached 1.7 million kilowatts/hour, which, plus contribution of a new generator of Tunghsiao thermal power plant in Miaoli, boosted power supply by 2.18 million kilowatts/hour, keeping reserve power capacity rate at 6.38% and avoiding power shortage, reports state-run Taiwan Power Company.

Taipower points out that with temperature rising to 35 or 37 Celsius degrees recently, power consumption has approached 37 million kilowatts/hour recently, 94% of the company's maximum supply capacity of 39.342 kilowatts/hour, overstraining grid network.

36.906 million kilowatts/hour power consumption on July 31 sets a new record.

To meet the spike in power consumption, Taipower rushed to repair No. 1 generator of Talin coal-fired thermal plant, which broke down, due to malfunction of air preheater, on July 28 and had been re-connected to grid on July 31, generating 800,000 kilowatts/hour of power.

Taipower dismisses concern for power shortage, stressing that 47.86 kilowatts/hour of extra capacity will be available in 2018, boosting reserve capacity rate to 10% next year, thanks to grid connection of several new generators this year, including Talin new 1, Talin new 2, and Tunghsiao new 1 in the first half and Tunghsiao new 1 and Linkou new 3 in the second half.

Still, Taipower urges local people to save on power consumption during the summertime.

(First photo courtesy of Taipowr, written by Daisy Chuang)