Taiwan's DuPont in talks over water rationing

15 May 2002 02:58  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (CNI)--Taiwan's purified terephthalic acid (PTA) major DuPont Far Eastern Petrochemicals is currently in discussions with local authorities on the issue of water availability to its plants in Kuanyin Industrial Park, Taoyuan county, Taiwan, a company official told CNI on Wednesday.

The official declined to elaborate on the progress of the discussions.

Taiwanese authorities have decided to ration water to plants in Taoyuan county, including the Kuanyin area, for 36 hours during weekends starting on 18 May in order to cope with the ongoing drought.

DuPont is expected to be one of the affected companies in Taoyuan because it uses water from Shihmen Reservoir.

The company told CNI earlier that it might have to extend the three week maintenance shutdown at its 450 000 tonne/year PTA plant which is expected to start today (15 May). It was not immediately clear whether the company had gone ahead with the planned shutdown.

If the shutdown does not go ahead as planned, DuPont may reduce the operating rates of both of its PTA plants. DuPont operates another 400 000 tonne/year PTA plant at the same site.

Chinese Petroleum Corp (CPC), which owns a refinery in Taoyuan, said earlier it might have to close one of its two lines at the refinery when the rationing measure is enforced.

By: Clara Tan
+65 6780 4359

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