TAIPEI — Taiwan has begun construction of a major new power facility in Taipei as authorities move to strengthen electricity infrastructure supporting the capital’s growing technology, business and transportation needs.
The Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) announced that construction of the Songhu ultra-high-voltage substation has officially begun, marking a major step in a project that has been planned for more than two decades.
The underground facility is designed to support electricity demand in Taipei’s Songshan and Neihu districts, including the Neihu Technology Park and Nangang Business Park. It will also provide power for the Taipei MRT Songshan-Xindian Line and the planned Minsheng-Xizhi route.
A 26-Year Plan Finally Moves Forward
According to Taipower, the Songhu substation has been in planning for 26 years.
Construction was finally approved in 2023, following hundreds of public hearings, highlighting the lengthy process involved in developing major electricity infrastructure in densely populated parts of Taipei.
The new facility is expected to be completed in 2029.
Rather than placing a conventional large-scale power facility above ground, Taipower is building the substation underground.
The approach allows the electricity infrastructure to operate beneath the city while leaving space above ground for other community uses.
A Power Station Hidden Beneath a New Urban Space
The project is designed with more than electricity infrastructure in mind.
Taipower said an office building, daycare facility and landscaped park will be developed above the underground substation.
The facility will also monitor electromagnetic-pulse (EMP) levels, according to the company.
The design reflects the challenge of adding critical infrastructure in heavily developed parts of Taipei, where available land is limited and community concerns can influence major construction projects.
Why Songshan and Neihu Matter
The new substation is intended to strengthen electricity supplies to areas that are increasingly important to Taipei’s technology and commercial economy.
The Neihu Technology Park is one of the capital’s major technology and business clusters, while Nangang Business Park is another important commercial area.
Reliable electricity is particularly important for technology-intensive businesses, transportation systems and other facilities operating continuously.
Taipower said the Songhu facility will support the existing Xizhi Substation by supplying these areas with additional power.
Taipower Already Added Temporary Capacity
The long wait for the permanent project has also required interim measures.
Taipower said it built a temporary power station that began operating in 2025 to help relieve some of the pressure while the Songhu project moved forward.
The company is also accelerating other infrastructure projects, including the Wenlin substation, which is intended to support the Beitou-Shilin Technology Park.
The Bigger Challenge: Keeping Taipei Powered
The Songhu project illustrates a broader challenge facing major Asian cities: electricity demand is increasingly tied to technology, transportation and commercial development.
For Taipei, expanding power infrastructure is not simply about building another substation. Projects must also fit into already-developed neighborhoods while addressing concerns raised by surrounding communities.
With the Songhu facility scheduled for completion in 2029, the underground power station is set to become an important piece of Taipei’s electricity network.
And after 26 years of planning, the project has finally moved from the drawing board to construction.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
