Natural gas
CPC's promotion of natural gas, in keeping with Taiwan's policy goal of energy diversification, is based on its inherent
advantages in terms of high thermal efficiency, low pollution profile and safety and convenience in handling. The completion
of CPC's liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal in Kaohsiung's Yongan District in 1990, Taiwan's first, inaugurated a new
era of clean energy. A subsequent expansion project, completed in December 1996, boosted its annual handling capacity to 4.5
million tons.
A third-stage expansion project was begun in July 1996 to satisfy the growing demand for natural gas from independent power
producers and other end-users in northern Taiwan. In addition to expansion of the terminal itself, we also set a precedent in
Taiwan by laying a 36-inch diameter, 238 km-long undersea gas pipeline from the Yongan plant to Tongxiao. Completion of the
pipeline in December 2002 expanded CPC's annual LNG handling capacity to 7.44 million tons.
Building a figure-8 shaped gas network to supply power plants
CPC built a new LNG receiving terminal, Taiwan's second, with a 3 million ton annual capacity on wharf W13 and the
adjoining area of Taichung's harbor to supply natural gas to Taiwan Power Company's Datan Power Station, industrial firms
and household users in northern and central Taiwan. This project entailed building three 160,000-kiloliter LNG storage
tanks, gasification and gas supply facilities and a 135-kilometer, 36-inch sea/land long distance transportation pipeline from
Taichung Harbor through the Tongxiao distribution station to the Datan measuring station. The facility began full operation
on July 13, 2009. The current Taichung LNG Terminal Phase II Investment Project calls for the construction of a further three
160,000-kiloliter above-ground storage tanks and a gasification facility at the terminal itself, a 26-inch, 21.8 km terrestrial gas
pipeline between the terminal and the Wuxi Separation Station and a further switching station and link with the existing 26-inch
pipeline at the Wuxi site. When completed – which is expected to be before 2018 – the project will boost the annual capacity
