Supported by softer-than-expected electricity demand and contribution from a new generator, the nation’s power supply situation eased yesterday, prompting Taiwan Power Co (Taipower, 台電) to revise its power reserve indicator from “red” to “orange.”

The national power supply indicator had been at “red” alert for two straight days, after the operating reserve fell to less than 900,000 kilowatts (kW).

Despite the mercury rising to 37.4°C in Taipei and 38°C in Keelung yesterday, the maximum power consumption was 36.12 gigawatts (GW) at 2:13pm, about 80,000kW less than Taipower’s forecast, the state-run utility said.

In addition, a new ultra-supercritical power generator at a coal-fired power plant in Kaohsiung’s Dalin Township (大林), which was on trial run, was connected to the power grid yesterday morning, supplying 200,000kW, which raised the nation’s maximum power supply capacity to 37.12GW, Taipower said.

“Given the successful connection of the Dalin generator and its stable electricity supply, it will be included in Taipower’s power supply capacity from now on,” company spokesman Lin Te-fu (林德福) said by telephone.

With the power situation improving, Executive Yuan spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) announced that starting today, government agencies will no longer have to turn off their air-conditioning between 1pm and 3pm.

However, government agencies are advised to set their air conditioners at 28°C during those hours to prevent surging electricity demand during the hottest period of the day.

Lin said Taipower expects the power supply reading to be “orange” for today and tomorrow due to increasing power capacity, with an estimated operating reserve of 925,000kW and 975,000kW, or 2.56 percent and 2.7 percent respectively.

Taipower said the supply indicator is expected to turn “green” on Saturday, with the estimated operating reserve rising to 3.19GW, or a reserve margin of 10.09 percent, given lower power demand during weekends.

However, two new generators that were supposed to start producing electricity yesterday did not contribute to the power supply, Lin said.

A new simple-cycle gas turbine at the power plant in Taoyuan’s Datan Township (大潭), which could generate 200,000kW during trial runs, failed to connect to the power grid yesterday morning due to a circuit breaker abnormality, Lin said, adding that it would take a few days to inspect and fix the problem.

A gas-fired power plant in Miaoli County’s Tongsiao Township (通霄) that could generate 15,000kW with its new combined-cycle gas turbine also failed to be connected to the grid because of longer-than-expected equipment calibration, Lin said.