Jensen Huang Flags Taiwan's AI Power Needs; Economy Ministry Says Supply Planned Ahead

AI data centers, high-density GPU racks and advanced packaging are simultaneously increasing power and cooling loads, turning electricity from an infrastructure issue into a potential bottleneck for Taiwan's AI competitiveness. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said the company's annual spending in Taiwan's supply chain had increased from $10 billion–$15 billion to $100 billion–$150 billion, making reliable energy crucial to semiconductor investment and GDP growth.

Asked on May 25 about power supplies for the AI data center planned in Beitou-Shilin Technology Park, Huang said Taiwan needed more energy and that there could be no economic growth without it. The Ministry of Economic Affairs responded on May 26 that AI electricity demand had already been factored into its planning. Starting in late 2026, four large gas-fired units at Taiwan Power Co.'s Taichung and Hsinta power plants, with combined capacity of 5.2 GW, will begin supplying electricity in phases. Additional units at Tongxiao, Dalin, Taichung Phase 2, Kuo Kuang and Mailiao are scheduled to enter commercial operation from 2027 to 2031.