PRIVATIZATION PUSH:At a public hearing, critics said the proposed amendment was unduly focused on the ‘green’ energy sector, rather than across-the-board liberalization

Taipei Times
Date: Dec 02, 2016
By: Lauly Li / Staff reporter

The Legislative Yuan’s Economics Committee held its first public hearing on a proposed amendment to the Electricity Act (電業法) yesterday, after the Executive Yuan submitted it to the legislature on Oct. 20.

The proposed amendment aims to gradually liberalize the electricity industry and help to develop the nation’s renewable energy industry.

At the hearing in Taipei, National Taipei University professor of economics Wang To-far (王塗發) said the Executive Yuan should withdraw the amendment and redraft it, as the scale of the liberalization is too small to make an impact on the industry.

Wang is a strong advocate for the liberalization of the local power industry, saying that state-run Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) should separate its power generation and electricity distribution businesses to provide private operators with the leeway to participate in the domestic energy business.    [FULL  STORY]