Feitsui Reservoir Seeks Water Consumption Fee; Economic Minister Cites Legal Doubts and No Water Wasted
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taipower clarified that hydroelectric power does not consume water and lacks a legal basis for the water consumption fee requested by the Feitsui Reservoir.
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- 📰 Published: April 22, 2026 at 13:20
- 🔍 Collected: April 22, 2026 at 13:31 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 21:24 (7h 52m after Collected)
(Central News Agency Reporter Tseng Yun-ting, Taipei, 22nd) Regarding the controversy over the Taipei Feitsui Reservoir's plan to charge Taipower a water consumption compensation fee, Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin stated today that the water consumption fee is a central government tax revenue. For the Feitsui Reservoir Administration to charge an additional water consumption fee raises legal doubts. Furthermore, regarding the Control Yuan's assertion that about 500 million tons of water flow into the sea from Feitsui Reservoir annually, both Kung Ming-hsin and Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng emphasized that Taipower's actual water usage for hydroelectric power generation is only about 1.15 million tons. The remaining over 400 million tons are not used by Taipower, and hydroelectric power generation does not waste water resources.
The Economic Committee of the Legislative Yuan today reviewed the budget for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and its affiliated agencies under the central government's general budget for the fiscal year 115. Legislators from both ruling and opposition parties expressed concern over Feitsui Reservoir's intention to charge Taipower a water consumption fee.
When Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Yi-ying asked whether a water consumption fee should be charged for hydroelectric power generation, Water Resources Agency Director-General Lin Yuan-peng stated that the design spirit of the water consumption fee is to promote water conservation. Based on the user-pays principle, it is currently only levied on large industrial users whose daily water consumption exceeds 300 tons. Since hydroelectric power generation does not consume water resources, it is not within the scope of collection. No hydroelectric power generation at any reservoir in Taiwan is charged this fee.
Lin Yuan-peng pointed out that reservoir operations adjust according to water levels. Currently, Feitsui Reservoir's water storage capacity exceeds 90%, which is a high water level. It naturally requires regulation to balance flood control, downstream water supply, and safety needs, and there is no waste of water resources.
Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng explained that hydroelectric power generation uses the potential energy of water to generate electricity and does not "use up" water resources. The water volume affected by Taipower's hydroelectric power generation at Feitsui Reservoir is about 1.15 million tons. Compared to the approximately 500 million tons mentioned in the Control Yuan's correction, the scale gap between the two is vast, and their natures are different.
He pointed out that Taipower legally pays relevant fees for Zengwen Reservoir, Shimen Reservoir, etc., and the fees paid to Feitsui Reservoir are relatively high. "We are not treating Feitsui Reservoir poorly."
Kuomintang Legislator Yang Chiung-ying also expressed concern about this matter. Kung Ming-hsin further explained that out of the approximately 500 million tons of water pointed out in the Control Yuan's correction, Taipower's actual use for hydroelectric power generation is only 1.15 million tons, and the remaining over 400 million tons are not used by Taipower. Furthermore, hydroelectric power generation only uses the elevation difference to guide the water body from the top of the dam to the bottom to generate electricity, without consuming water resources.
Kung Ming-hsin emphasized that the water consumption fee is inherently a central tax revenue and can only be collected by the central government. If local governments wish to sign relevant contracts with Taipower separately, mutual agreement is still required, and currently, Taipower has not agreed to sign. (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150422
The Economic Committee of the Legislative Yuan today reviewed the budget for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and its affiliated agencies under the central government's general budget for the fiscal year 115. Legislators from both ruling and opposition parties expressed concern over Feitsui Reservoir's intention to charge Taipower a water consumption fee.
When Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Yi-ying asked whether a water consumption fee should be charged for hydroelectric power generation, Water Resources Agency Director-General Lin Yuan-peng stated that the design spirit of the water consumption fee is to promote water conservation. Based on the user-pays principle, it is currently only levied on large industrial users whose daily water consumption exceeds 300 tons. Since hydroelectric power generation does not consume water resources, it is not within the scope of collection. No hydroelectric power generation at any reservoir in Taiwan is charged this fee.
Lin Yuan-peng pointed out that reservoir operations adjust according to water levels. Currently, Feitsui Reservoir's water storage capacity exceeds 90%, which is a high water level. It naturally requires regulation to balance flood control, downstream water supply, and safety needs, and there is no waste of water resources.
Taipower Chairman Tseng Wen-sheng explained that hydroelectric power generation uses the potential energy of water to generate electricity and does not "use up" water resources. The water volume affected by Taipower's hydroelectric power generation at Feitsui Reservoir is about 1.15 million tons. Compared to the approximately 500 million tons mentioned in the Control Yuan's correction, the scale gap between the two is vast, and their natures are different.
He pointed out that Taipower legally pays relevant fees for Zengwen Reservoir, Shimen Reservoir, etc., and the fees paid to Feitsui Reservoir are relatively high. "We are not treating Feitsui Reservoir poorly."
Kuomintang Legislator Yang Chiung-ying also expressed concern about this matter. Kung Ming-hsin further explained that out of the approximately 500 million tons of water pointed out in the Control Yuan's correction, Taipower's actual use for hydroelectric power generation is only 1.15 million tons, and the remaining over 400 million tons are not used by Taipower. Furthermore, hydroelectric power generation only uses the elevation difference to guide the water body from the top of the dam to the bottom to generate electricity, without consuming water resources.
Kung Ming-hsin emphasized that the water consumption fee is inherently a central tax revenue and can only be collected by the central government. If local governments wish to sign relevant contracts with Taipower separately, mutual agreement is still required, and currently, Taipower has not agreed to sign. (Editor: Pan Yi-ching) 1150422