Maintaining a stable power supply is one of the most significant challenges the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) face this year, as the nation’s power usage is expected to rise much faster than anticipated. Meanwhile, demand for smart power distribution is rising as more independent suppliers join the power network following a regulatory easing last year. The ministry in its latest forecast said that Taiwan’s power consumption would climb 2.5 percent annually over the next few years, rather than the 1.84 percent it previously forecast, mainly because of rising demand from industrial users. That does not factor