XN000022-1984-08-03 — Page 4

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CLP ACCEPTS RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT POWER FAILURE

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A BOARD OF INQUIRY SET UP BY THE CHINA LIGHT AND POWER COMPANY IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE POWER FAILURE ON MARCH 4 THIS YEAR HAS MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE COMPANY.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECEIVED A COPY OF THE TECHNICAL REPORT COMPILED BY THE BOARD.

THE BOARD WAS SET UP TO CONSIDER THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE BLACKOUT, TO REVIEW THE PROCEDURES FOR THE RESTORATION OF ELECTRICITY, AND TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN FUTURE.

IN ARRIVING AT ITS CONCLUSIONS, THE BOARD DREW ON THE ADVICE OF AN INDEPENDENT U.S. CONSULTANT SPECIALISING IN POWER SYSTEM ANALYSIS.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE REPORT CONFIRMED THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT THAT THE POWER FAILURE HAD BEEN CAUSED BY AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO DAMP OUT A POWER OSCILLATION OCCURRING IN THE INTERCONNECTOR BETWEEN THE SYSTEMS OF CLP AND THE GUANGDONG POWER COMPANY.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT SUCH POWER OSCILLATIONS ARE

A NORMAL FEATURE OF INTERCONNECTED SYSTEMS AND, LIKE ELECTRICITY UTILITIES ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD, CLP HAS AN ESTABLISHED PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH THEM,

+UNFORTUNATELY, ON MARCH 4, A SERIES OF TECHNICAL COINCIDENCE. LED TO THIS PROCEDURE BEING INEFFECTIVE, HE SAID.

THE REPORT NOTES THAT RESTORATION PROCEDURES STARTED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN AND THAT MORE THAN HALF OF CP'S CONSUMERS HAD THEIR SUPPLY RESTORED WITHIN 90 MINUTES.

RESTORATION OF THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS COMPLETED AFTER 4-1/2 HOURS, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE REPORT WAS A THOROUGH AND PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE MARCH 4 INCIDENT, IN WHICH ALL THE CONTRIBUTORY FACTORS AND CIRCUMSTANCES WERE FRANKLY SET OUT.

+ IT CONTAINS A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS, DESIGNED TO ENHANCE CLP'S PROCEDURE FOR DEALING WITH POWER OSCILLATIONS AND TO REDUCE FURTHER THE ALREADY VERY INFREQUENT OCCURRENCE OF SIGNIFICANT BLACKOUTS,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY CLP, AND IMPLEMENTATION HAS ALREADY BEGUN. IN ADDITION, CLP HAS PLACED AN ORDER FOR POWER SYSTEM STABILISERS TO BE INSTALLED IN EACH GENERATING UNIT AT ITS CASTLE PEAK POWER STATION.

/+NO ELECTRICITY