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WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1976
HIGHER ELECTRICITY VOLTAGE FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PREPARED TO STUDY PROPOSAL
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THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE PREPARED TO UNDERTAKE A MORE THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF A PROPOSAL OF RAISING HONG KONG'S ELECTRICITY SUPPLY VOLTAGE FROM 200 TO 220 VOLTS TO ASSESS THE DESIRABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, OF MAKING THE CHANGE.
THE ACTING FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. DEREK JONES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS TODAY IN REPSONSE TO THE HON. JAMES WU WHO PROPOSED TO EFFECT THE CHANGE, IN TWO STAGES, FROM JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR.
MR. JONES SAID IT WAS NOT KNOWN AT PRESENT HOW MUCH EQUIPMENT CURRENTLY IN USE, BOTH IN HOUSEHOLDS AND INDUSTRY, MIGHT NEED ADJUSTMENT OR REPLACEMENT TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE PROPOSED HIGHER VOLTAGE OR HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO MAKE THE CHANGES.
+CERTAINLY, IT WOULD NOT BE WISE TO CONSIDER ANY CHANGE WITHOUT FULL PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH INDUSTRY, OTHER MAJOR CONSUMERS AND THE POWER COMPANIES,
+EVEN THEN ADEQUATE NOTICE WOULD NEED TO BE GIVEN BEFORE ANY CHANGE IS INTRODUCED AND A SUPPORTING PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN WOULD BE REQUIRED, HE SAID.
WHILE STRESSING THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE CONSIDERED IN GREATER DEPTH BEFORE REACHING ANY DECISION, MR. JONES PROMISED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL.
HE SAID IT WAS UNDOUBTEDLY IN HONG KONG'S INTEREST TO ADOPT WIDELY-USED, AND INTERNATIONALLY APPROVED, STANDARDS WHERE POSSIBLE.
NEVERTHELESS, HE FELT THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE PRUDENT TO EXERCISE A DEGREE OF CAUTION BEFORE CONSIDERING A CHANGE OF THIS SORT WHICH COULD HAVE SIGNIFICANT REPERCUSSIONS FOR ALL CONSUMERS OF ELECTRICITY.
HE ADDED THAT THE ECONOMIC AND TECHNICAL IMPLICATIONS OF A CHANGEOVER FROM THE EXISTING VOLTAGES MIGHT NOT BE AS SIMPLE AS MR. WU APPEARED TO THINK.
+FOR INSTANCE, ALTHOUGH A 220 VOLT MOTOR USED ON THE CORRECT VOLTAGE WILL CERTAINLY GIVE GREATER POWER THAN WHEN RUN ON 200 VOLTS, EQUALLY A 200 VOLT MOTOR WOULD ALSO GENERATE MORE POWER, BUT COULD OVERHEAT AND MIGHT BURN OUT IN THE PROCESS.
+LIKEWISE, SUCH EQUIPMENT AS STARTERS, SWITCH BOARDS AND LIFT CONTROL GEAR ARE VERY VOLTAGE SENSITIVE AND
ANY CHANGE IN THESE CASES MAY REQUIRE EXPENSIVE ADJUSTMENTS TO, OR REPLACEMENT OF, EQUIPMENT.
/+CERTAIN