7
MONDAY, MARCH 1, 1993
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"TO FACILITATE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS POLICY THE GOVERNMENT MAKES AVAILABLE THE NECESSARY LAND, PROVIDES BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE, ARRANGES WITH FUEL SUPPLIERS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF MINIMUM LEVELS OF RESERVES OF CERTAIN FUELS OF STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE AND LAYS DOWN A REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE SAFE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF FUELS, SHE SAID.
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SHE SAID ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT AVOIDED INTERFERING IN THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS OPERATIONS OF FUEL SUPPLIERS, IT DID MONITOR CLOSELY THE SUPPLY, CONSUMPTION AND PRICES OF VARIOUS TYPES OF FUEL FOR ECONOMIC ANALYSIS PURPOSES.
"IT WOULD ONLY BE IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR DISRUPTION TO SUPPLY - ONE LIKELY TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ECONOMY AND THE COMMUNITY THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONSIDER INVOKING RESERVE POWERS TO CONTROL FUEL SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION, MRS CHAN SAID.
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SHE SAID IN 1982 HONG KONG'S TWO POWER COMPANIES, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT, BEGAN TO SWITCH FROM OIL TO COAL AS A FUEL FOR POWER GENERATION.
MRS CHAN SALD CONSIDERABLE SAVINGS IN FUEL COSTS HAD BEEN ACHIEVED IN RECENT YEARS AFTER THE TWO POWER COMPANIES SWITCHED ΤΟ COAL, WHICH REMAINED CHEAPER THAN OTL ON AN EQUIVALENT HEAT BASIS.
"THIS HAS BEEN OF GREAT BENEFIT TO CONSUMERS IN THAT ELECTRICITY TARIFFS ARE NOW MUCH LOWER THAN THOSE IN 1983 IN REAL TERMS, SHE SAID.
"THE MUCH REDUCED DEPENDENCE ON OIL HAS BROUGHT ABOUT A HIGHER DEGREE OF SECURITY OF THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY, WHICH IS IMPORTANT CONSIDERING THAT ELECTRICITY ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 38% OF THE TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMED IN HONG KONG, SHE ADDED.
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NOTING THAT HONG KONG SHARED THE INCREASING GLOBAL CONCERN OVER THE THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT POSED BY THE BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS, MRS CHAN SA1D MUCH WORK HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE BY THE POWER COMPANIES AND THE GOVERNMENT TO MINIMISE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF SUCH EMISSIONS FROM EXISTING POWER STATIONS.
"ALL NEW GENERATING UNITS FUELLED RY COAL OR OIL WITH A HIGH SULPHUR CONTENT ARE REQUIRED ΤΟ RE FITTED WITH FLUE GAS DESULPHURISATION FACILITIES, WHICH ARE ABLE TO REMOVE 90% OF SULPHUR DIOXIDE PRODUCED BEFORE DISCHARGE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
THE
"IN ADDITION, THRY MUST RMIT REDUCED LEVELS OF NITROGEN OXIDES. THESE POLLUTION CONTROL MEASURES HOWEVER INVOLVE SUBSTANTIAL CAPITAL, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS, SHE SAID.
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MRS CHAN STRESSED THAT PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT WAS NOT JUST THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
IT REQUIRES THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY FROM THE SUPPLIERS TO THE CONSUMERS.
/CONSUMERS NEED