Taiwan’s state-owned electricity provider Taipower is predicting that customers will pay an average of NT$110 (around US$3) more per month this summer.
Since 1989, Taipower has raised electricity rates every year from June through the end of September. This is in order to make up for the costs of producing extra power to meet demand during the summer months. With Taiwan’s hot, humid climate, much of this extra power is used for air conditioning. The summer rates are also intended to encourage electricity users to conserve power.
Based on data from previous years, Taipower estimates that the average home will use 441kWh per month during the summer. Based on the latest summer rates announced in April, this will leave the average user with a bill of NT$981 (around US$30).
In addition to raising rates during the summer, Taipower also encourages customers to use less by sending out bills once every two months, allowing them to feel the impact of using more power during the summer.