XN000022-1977-08-15 — Page 2

MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 1977

LANTAU SITE PROPOSED FOR NEW POWER STATION

*****

GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT HAD GIVEN THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY PERMISSION TO INVESTIGATE NORTH-EAST LANTAU BETWEEN TA PANG PO AND PA TAU KWU FOR A SUITABLE SITE FOR A NEW POWER STATION.

THE POWER COMPANY HAS ALSO BEEN INFORMED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PREPARED IN PRINCIPLE TO MAKE A GRANT OF LAND IN THIS AREA FOR THE PURPOSE.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE COMPANY HAD BEEN SEEKING A SITE TO PROVIDE THE EXTRA GENERATING CAPACITY WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED IN KOWLOON AND THE NEW TERRITORIES IN THE EARLY 1980'S.

SEVERAL GENERAL AREAS HAD BEEN SUGGESTED AND EXAMINED BY THE COMPANY, INCLUDING CASTLE PEAK AND TOLO HARBOUR, BUT PRELIMINARY INDICATIONS WERE THAT NORTH LANTAU WOULD PROBABLY BE THE MOST SUITABLE AREA FROM BOTH THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND OPERATIONAL POINTS OF VIEW.

+HOWEVER, IT WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE COMPANY TO CARRY OUT INVESTIGATIONS ON SITE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE AREA IS PRACTICABLE, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THE INVESTIGATIONS WILL TAKE THE FORM OF SURVEYS AND SOIL TESTS, AND WILL INVOLVE THE PLACING OF SURVEY INSTRUMENTS AND DRILLING OF BOREHOLES.

+DURING THE INVESTIGATIONS NO EXTENSIVE ENGINEERING WORKS WILL BE UNDERTAKEN AND THE SMALL LOCAL COMMUNITIES ON NORTH-EAST LANTAU ARE EXPECTED TO BE LITTLE AFFECTED.

+ THE DISTRICT OFFICE, TSUEN WAN, IS IN TOUCH WITH THE MA WAN RURAL COMMITTEE, WHICH INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM NORTH-EAST LANTAU, TO GIVE A PRELIMINARY INDICATION OF THE EXTENT OF THE INVESTIGATIONS, HE ADDED.

THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THIS MONTH.

12