LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
In 1985, the Hong Kong Nuclear Investment Company (a wholly-owned subsidiary of CLP) and the Guangdong Nuclear Investment Company (wholly owned by the Chinese Ministry of Nuclear Industry) established the Guangdong Nuclear Power Joint Venture Company, to build and operate a nuclear power station at Daya Bay in Guangdong. This comprises two 985MW pressurised water reactors which went into commercial operation in February and May 1994, respectively. CLP undertook to buy about 70 per cent of the station's power to meet part of the longer-term demand for electricity in its supply area.
Through its affiliated company, the Hong Kong Pumped Storage Development Company Limited, CLP has bought the right to use 50 per cent of the capacity of the Guangzhou Pumped Storage Power Station, at Conghua. The total installed capacity of the current phase is 1 200 MW. Off-peak electricity from the CAPCO's system and Guangdong Nuclear Power Station is used to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper one. The water is allowed to flow downhill during the day to generate electricity to meet Hong Kong's peak demand.
The Electricity Ordinance, with its subsidiary regulations, is the main enabling legislation on electricity safety. It aims to set out the legal framework encompassing all the areas within which the concerned legislation shall apply, including the registration of electrical workers and contractors, and the safety standards and requirements for electricity supply, electrical wiring and products.
To be eligible for electrical worker registration under the Ordinance, applicants must possess the necessary experience and qualifications. The Vocational Training Council, Hong Kong Examinations Authority, University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Polytechnic University regularly organise trade tests and examinations for applicants to acquire the necessary qualifications for registration. As at December 1997, more than 8 200 electrical contractors and 53 000 workers held valid registration.
To ensure electrical safety, fixed electrical installations in certain specified types of premises are required to be inspected, tested and certified periodically. Moreover, regulation to ensure the supply of safe plugs and adapters came into effect in March 1995. More comprehensive legislation, which provides statutory control over the safety of all electrical products designed for household use and supplied in Hong Kong will be put into operation in May 1998.
In 1997, to enforce the Electricity Ordinance, the government conducted 5 460 site inspections to check the safety standards of electrical installations and electrical product supply outlets, and 53 prosecutions were raised against violations.
The upgrading of electricity supply voltage from 200/346 volts to 220/380 volts has been carried out in two phases. Phase 1, covering installations inside government buildings, started in 1990 and was completed in 1992. Phase 2, covering remaining installations in buildings managed by the Housing Authority and those in the private sector, began in 1993 and was completed in 1997.
Gas
Gas is widely used throughout Hong Kong for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes. Two main types of fuel gas are available for general use: Towngas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
221