output. This is due to the rise in population and the resultant large-scale building projects. The peak load has risen from 29,000 k.w. to 36,600 k.w. The supply is distributed at 6,600 volts, 3 phase, 50 cycles and 346/200 volts, 3 phase, 4 wire, 50 cycles.
The company's expansion programme has been held up by delays in shipment of plant, but during the year one 75,000/93,750 lb./hr. high pressure boiler was put into commission, the total steaming capacity now being 575,000 lb./hr.
The number of consumers at the end of the year was 53,474, an increase of 4,669 over the previous year. A total of 137,654,067 units was sold by the company during 1950, an increase of 28,404,259 over 1949.
Electricity in Kowloon and the New Territories is supplied by the China Light and Power Co., Ltd. The demand for electricity in the mainland part of the Colony has continued to increase especially for industrial use, and in the past year no less than 367 new factories were connected to the company's mains. Domestic consumption of current has also increased. Street lighting is now far ahead of the pre-war standard of lighting and improvements are still being made. Large-scale building operations during the past two years considerably increased the demands for electricity.
The total generating capacity of the power station continues to be 50,500 k.w. and the boiler plant capacity has been increased to 665,000 lbs. per hour.
Gas
Gas is supplied on both sides of the harbour by the Hong Kong and China Gas Co., Ltd., which was first established in the Colony in 1861. Work carried out on the plants in Hong Kong and Kowloon during the year has practically brought both works up to pre-war standard. Considerable progress has also been made in regard to enlarging and cleaning mains. The demand for gas is still increasing, the total output for 1950 being 25.75% above 1949.
Tramways
The electric tramway service is operated by Hong Kong Tram- ways Ltd.
The track extends from Kennedy Town to Shaukiwan passing through the city of Victoria. There is in addition a branch line which passes round the Race Course in Happy Valley. The tramcars are of the double-deck, single staircase type intended for single-ended working, the termini having turning circles.
The gauge is 3′ 6′′ and the operating voltage is 500 volts direct current.
A daily service of 110 cars is operated, providing a car every two minutes or less in each direction. Through the city area in the centre of the system the minimum service provided is a car every forty seconds in each direction.
The Peak Tramway was opened for traffic in May 1888 and was then known as the Hong Kong High Level Tramway. With the lower terminus situated at the lower portion of Garden Road and
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