PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
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The Cheung Chau Electric Company Limited supplies Cheung Chau Island which contains some small industries and a population of fisherfolk who founded the company in 1913 as a community project. It is now operated by commercial interests and it supplies power on a 50-cycle, three-phase, four-wire system of 200/346 volts for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes.
The charges for electricity have been gradually lowered by modern- izing and increasing the efficiency of the generating plant. Current rates are 57 cents per unit for lighting and 25 cents per unit for domestic and industrial power. Special rates are given to bulk
consumers.
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited supplies Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Town gas is available throughout the urban areas, including Repulse Bay on the island, and the industrial towns of Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan in Kowloon. Liquefied petroleum gas (or bottled gas) is offered to customers who are out of reach of the town gas supply.
Town gas production is centred at Ma Tau Kok in Kowloon. The island is supplied by two submarine gas mains across the har- bour. The total installed production capacity of the Ma Tau Kok station is approximately nine million cubic feet per day. Tsuen Wan is supplied by an independent station of 900,000 cubic feet per day capacity. To ensure that gas installation work is maintained at a high standard the company has its own installation department which is assisted, when necessary, by authorized sub-contractors. Where building developers provide an internal town gas installa- tion, the company installs gas services, up to the meter positions, free of charge. In addition to dealing with normal maintenance calls, the company provides a 24-hour emergency service.
Gas is sold on a thermal basis (one therm=100,000 British thermal units). The calorific value of town gas in the urban area is 455 British thermal units per cubic foot. However, in the Tsuen Wan area the calorific value of the gas is 650 per cubic foot. The tariff incorporates a standing charge which is dependent upon the size of meter installed. It includes the cost of the first three therms of gas consumed. The scale of charges is:
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