TNAG-1859-FCO40-2634-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-memoranda-and-minutes-of-me-1989 — Page 19

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 18 October 1989

香港立法局———————————一九八九年十月十八日

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SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES: The Administration does not rule out, at this stage, the necessity of employing consultants. But in deciding what the best way to go about this should be, the Administration will consider, in addition to commissioning consultants, other measures of consultation.

倪少傑議員問:主席先生,政府可否告知本局,在評估能源對環境影響時,政府是否滿意兩間電 力公司以煤灰湖的方式處理燃料的灰燼;此外,煤灰湖的建設成本是否由電力公司承擔,若是, 這項承擔有否影響電費價格?

SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES: Sir, on the question of ash disposal, could I defer to the Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands.

HIS HONOUR THE PRESIDENT: Secretary for Planning, Environment and Lands, do you have anything to add?

SECRETARY FOR PLANNING, ENVIRONMENT AND LANDS: Yes, Sir. The power company is and has been consulting with government departments for quite some time regarding the disposal of ash, which is its responsibility at present. And I understand that the Secretary for Works is likely to take up this issue because it is fairly clear that it could be a useful additional source of fill in the many reclamations that we have ahead of us.

PROF. POON: Sir, will the Secretary inform this Council what options Hong Kong has if we want to reduce the use of fossil fuel in order to protect our environment?

SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES: Sir, in theory, a number of options are available, such as the alternative use of solar energy or nuclear energy. But neither of these options is free from problems, as Members are well aware. And in considering what further measures should be taken to protect our environment we need to balance this against the economic costs and against the need to continue to encourage economic growth.

MR. PETER WONG: Sir, would the Secretary inform this Council of the comparative costings for fossil fuels, that is, coal, fuel oil, liquefied natural gas,

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