PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
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their supply from the China Light and Power Company. The island of Cheung Chau is served by the Cheung Chau Electric Company. In addition, minor enterprises such as some village co-operatives produce current for certain remote localities.
The three companies are investor-owned, and do not operate under a franchise. However, since 1964 the government has exercised a measure of financial control over the two main undertakings.
Safety aspects are covered by an Electricity Supply Ordinance. The supply voltage is normally 200 volts single-phase or 346 volts three-phase, four-wire, 50 hertz alter- nating current. For bulk consumers, supply is available at 11 kV and, in some locations, 6.6 kV.
In Kowloon and the New Territories, generation is carried out in part by the Peninsula Electric Power Company, an enterprise financed 50 per cent by Esso and 40 per cent by China Light. It owns the power stations at Tsing Yi (720 MW) and Hok Un 'C' (240 MW). Operation of these plants is in the hands of China Light, which also has its own station Hok Un ‘A' and 'B' (410 MW) and a number of diesel sets (4 MW).
Hongkong Electric has generating stations at North Point (336 MW) and Ap Lei Chau (370 MW). Therefore, including Cheung Chau's 5 MW, there is a combined capacity of 2,085 MW.
Considerable additional capacity is being erected or planned; at Tsing Yi, a further 800 MW is due to be installed by 1977, and at Ap Lei Chau, a further 250 MW by 1976.
Main electricity statistics for 1973, as well as electricity sales figures for the years 1971 to 1973, are shown in Appendix 33.
Gas
The Hong Kong and China Gas Company supplies Towngas to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. The supply is available throughout the urban areas, including Repulse Bay on Hong Kong Island and the industrial towns of Kwun Tong, Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan. Towngas production is centred at Ma Tau Kok, Kowloon, and the island is supplied by two submarine gas mains across the harbour. The total installed production capacity of the station is approximately 20 million cubic feet per day. Tsuen Wan is supplied by an independent station with a capacity of 900,000 cubic feet per day.
Gas is sold on a thermal basic (one therm 100,000 British thermal units). The calorific value of Towngas in the urban area is 455 BTU per cubic foot and in the Tsuen Wan area it is 650 BTU per cubic foot. The total quantity of gas sold in 1973 was 12.1 million therms compared with 10.8 million in 1972, an increase of 12 per cent.