Taiwan's semiconductor sector breaks electricity use record in September

The Taiwan Research Institute disclosed that Taiwan's semiconductor industry used more than 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in September, marking a new peak. Year-over-year consumption in the sector jumped 11.55 percent, returning to double-digit growth as AI applications drive demand for advanced chips and packaging. Nationwide, high-voltage industrial users saw a 1.76 percent rise and manufacturers a 1.96 percent rise in power use.

The power-industry monitoring indicator stayed in the "red" for the 18th month, signaling sustained activity. The institute estimated September’s overall economic growth at 12.6 percent and projected total semiconductor electricity use to top 50 billion kWh for the year. Meanwhile, the chemical materials and textile sectors continued to show contraction, each receiving a "blue" monitoring rating.