In light of the recent March 3 nationwide power outage and regional power failures that have aroused social concern, Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) stated that feeder tripping, the power cutoff to street lights and other regional accidents were chiefly caused by endpoint electricity distribution lines and equipment. Upon the promotion of the resiliency project for the power distribution system in recent years, the number of regional power outages dropped to 9,000 times last year (2021) from 21,000 times in 2012, a degree of reduction reaching nearly 60%. However, in facing these perplexing recent outages, Taipower will make more effort to replace old electricity distribution lines and equipment with new ones, carry out complete feeder automation, and accelerate the extension of smart meters and other comprehensive improvement projects to fortify Taipower's integral power supply quality, getting stable power supply to meet society's expectations.

According to the Taipower's statistics, nearly 15 million households are scattered across Taiwan at present. To meet the power use needs of people anytime and anywhere, over one hundred power generators in power plants in Taiwan smoothly transmit stable power to each household with an accumulative total of over 10,000 feeders, nearly 400,000 kilometers of power distribution lines (over 24 kilometers of aerial cables, and over 15 kilometers of underground cables), 1.44 million transformers, 1.46 million power supply switches, and 3.14 million utility poles.

Taipower explained that in response to nonstop power demand, and to reduce impact on people's power use needs due to the emergency situation of its equipment, Taipower has set up over 3,000 automatic line switches which can cut off lines that have broken down within a short time, and other lines around them that can help supply power, enabling power restoration and breakdown maintenance to be carried out separately to minimize impact on users, and to help confirm the location of the breakdown. In 2018, Taipower launched the "power distribution system resiliency project" to renew and replace some of its power lines and equipment. Additionally, load monitoring for transformers, breakdown indicators, and other new technical facilities have been introduced.

• In 2018, Taipower launched its power distribution system resiliency project to renew and replace some of its power lines and equipment. Additionally, load monitoring for transformers, breakdown indicators, and other new technical facilities have been introduced.

According to Taipower's data, the number of annual power failures decreased year by year to approximately 9,000 times last year (2021) from 21,000 times in 2012. The annual average power outage time for each household (minute/household-year) fell by 16% to 15.93 minutes in 2020 down from 19.05 minutes in 2012 as well. Among these outages, approximately 40% of accidents were caused by Taipower, and around 60% were caused by external forces, natural disasters and users such as power poles or transformers (transformer boxes) damaged in car accidents, lightning strikes, wind disasters, the abnormalities or breakdowns of power systems and so on.

In facing the recent regional power failures, which have substantially affected people's lives, Taipower knows that it has to work harder. Therefore, the Company will continue to extensively replace old electricity distribution lines and equipment with new ones, and promote complete feeder automation; improve uncovered facilities, underground power lines and energy storage equipment for the purpose of disaster prevention; accelerate extending smart meters and other comprehensive construction to strengthen the power distribution system, elevating integral power supply quality.

Spokesperson: Ting-Shu Chang, Professional General Manager

Tel No.: (02)2366-6271/0936-625-552

Email：u742433@taipower.com.tw

Point of Contact: Ming-Shu Chen, Director of Power Distribution Office

Tel No.: (02)2366-8669/ 0928-211-278

Email：u297299@taipower.com.tw