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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
The generating station at Hok Yuen, Kowloon Bay, has a capacity of 602 MW. During 1967, one 60 MW set was commissioned-the third such unit owned by the Peninsula Electric Power Company Limited, the generating enterprise owned and financed by Esso and China Light. When a fourth 60 MW set becomes operational, early in 1968, Hok Yuen will have attained its ultimate capacity of 662 MW.
China Light's construction team is now erecting, on behalf of Peninsula Electric, a new power station on the south shore of Tsing Yi Island. Two 120 MW units being built for it are due to provide electricity in 1969. Long-term plans provide for four more 120 MW sets, and larger units.
China Light's main transmission and distribution system is grow- ing in line with additional load requirements. The highest tension employed is 132 kV, and future transmission will be largely at this voltage. The distribution mains are being standardized at 11 kV and, with the conversion from 6.6 kV of the Tsuen Wan and Sha Tin areas completed in 1967, only outlying districts remain at the lower voltage. By September, the main network comprised 454 miles at 33 kV or more, and 641 miles at 11 kV or less.
The electricity supply in Kowloon and the New Territories is 50-cycle alternating current, normally 200 volts single-phase or 346 volts three-phase. For bulk consumers, supply is available at 11 kV and, in some locations, at 6.6 kV.
In the year ending September 30, there were more than 428,000 consumers, 10.3 per cent more than in the previous 12 months. In the same period, 2,394 million kWh were generated, an increase of 13.2 per cent; 2,091 million kWh were sold, comprising 366 million kWh private lighting, 10 million kWh public lighting, 853 million kWh ordinary power, and 862 million kWh industrial bulk
power.
Early in 1967, there was a substantial reduction in lighting charges and a standard tariff was instituted. The following basic rates per kWh were in force at the end of the year: lighting, 27 cents, less a rebate of 0.7 cent; ordinary power, 13.6 cents; domestic cooking, 11.5 cents. There are special rates for industrial bulk power.