Energy Management Act Amendment Lacks Clear Guidelines! Chen Ting-fei Urges Differentiated Subordinate Regulations and Reasonable Transition Period for Businesses

Legislator Chen Ting-fei stated on the 22nd during questioning at the Legislative Yuan's Economic Committee on the draft amendments to certain articles of the Energy Management Act that businesses generally support energy conservation and energy transition goals, but are concerned about the lack of clarity in subordinate regulations. In particular, regulations requiring large electricity users to install on-site power generation and energy storage equipment could increase operational burdens on businesses if different factory conditions are not taken into account. She urged the Ministry of Economic Affairs to adopt differentiated management when formulating subordinate regulations and to provide enterprises with a reasonable guidance and transition period.

Chen Ting-fei emphasized that key points of the amendment include public disclosure of energy sales statistics, requirements for large electricity users to install on-site power generation and energy storage equipment, strengthening local government inspection capabilities, expanding authorization for energy product management, and increasing penalties for violations. However, she pointed out that businesses are currently most concerned about the fact that the subordinate regulations have not yet been announced. Details such as the criteria for defining 'large electricity users,' the threshold for contracted capacity, and the types and installation methods of on-site power generation and energy storage equipment remain unclear, causing high anxiety in the industrial sector.

She noted that many urban factories and factories in aging industrial zones are constrained by land and space. If requirements for installing energy storage or power generation equipment are imposed without considering actual conditions, businesses may face difficulties in compliance. Therefore, she recommended that the Ministry of Economic Affairs refer to the diverse industrial zone models in Tainan to establish differentiated regulations tailored to new and existing factories and different industrial environments, avoiding inconsistent enforcement standards across regions.

Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin responded that the current planning direction for subordinate regulations will primarily apply to large electricity users with a contracted capacity of 5MW (megawatts) or more, affecting approximately 700 enterprises. He emphasized that the Ministry will consider practical difficulties related to space and implementation, and will not impose unachievable requirements. For existing factories that are old or space-constrained, more flexible implementation methods will be planned.

Kung Ming-hsin stated that future subordinate regulations will include a guidance and transition mechanism, with an adaptation period of approximately five years based on past experience. Through sufficient communication and guidance, businesses will be assisted in gradually completing energy-saving improvements and establishing on-site energy systems.

Chen Ting-fei concluded by urging the Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs to promptly submit a written explanation outlining the planning direction of the subordinate regulations, clearly specifying tiered management standards for new and existing factories, transition period arrangements, and related supporting measures. This would enable local governments, legislators, and businesses to grasp policy content early and smoothly advance green energy transition while balancing enterprise development and industrial competitiveness.