[October 9, 2025 | Taichung, Taiwan] — The Taichung Thermal Power Plant has successfully overturned a NT$360,000 fine imposed by the Taichung City Environmental Protection Bureau (EPA) after a court ruled that the water sampling procedures used during inspection were questionable.
The fine was initially issued after inspectors found that the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the plant’s effluent was 421 mg/L, exceeding the legal limit of 100 mg/L by more than four times. The plant argued that its internal continuous monitoring system had never recorded values exceeding 40 mg/L, with readings on the day of inspection at 14.6 mg/L, far below the EPA result.
Taipower filed an appeal, citing concerns over possible contamination during sampling, as the plant was not notified to have personnel present during the inspection. The Taichung High Administrative Court reviewed video footage showing inspectors’ fingers and the bucket strap touching the water sample. In addition, the sampling bottle cap was placed on the ground and then replaced, while a black bandage used to tie the bucket also touched the ground, raising doubts about the integrity of the sample.
The court concluded that these procedural lapses could not rule out contamination and sided with Taipower, overturning the NT$360,000 fine.
In response, the Taichung City Government stated it respects the ruling and will not appeal but vowed to strengthen its inspection and sampling procedures moving forward.
Taipower Deputy General Manager Cai Zhimeng emphasized that the plant’s discharge monitoring system is strict, compliant, and accurate. He added that the company is committed to fully cooperating with inspections, correcting any verified issues, and adhering to environmental regulations.
The Environmental Protection Bureau noted that the Taichung Power Plant has historically been the city’s largest source of wastewater, exceeding standards 14 times since 2018, with fines totaling over NT$87 million. This case, however, is unique due to questionable sampling practices, and the bureau plans to use the incident as part of internal training and procedural improvements.
Authorities stressed that in the future, inspections will continue to be conducted rigorously, ensuring public institutions comply with environmental laws while maintaining proper sampling and documentation protocols.