Taiwan's power bills are set to stay flat for a second straight round, which is good for people and for keeping prices in check, but bad for state utility Taipower's books.

• A formula-based rate hike of about 10% would be due in October, but the government plans to cover the gap with a budget top-up instead.
• Taipower has already burned through last year's record profit — extra fuel costs since the Middle East war broke out in late February have wiped out roughly a full year of earnings.
• Natural gas, which fuels most of the island's power plants, has jumped sharply since the war started, and CPC Corp is selling bottled gas at a loss to protect consumers.
• Taipower is on track to lose far more this year than it told the cabinet at the start of the year, more than double its original forecast.
• The economics ministry wants around NT$100 billion in subsidies, split mostly between Taipower and CPC, but the final split rests with the budget office.

Outlook: The freeze looks likely to hold through October, with the real question being how much cash the budget delivers and whether gas prices ease enough to stop the losses piling up again.