ENG-1963 — Page 318

PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

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The China Light and Power Company Ltd supplies current to Kowloon and the New Territories, including Lantau and a number of other outlying islands. Demand for electricity continued to grow rapidly, the peak load being 247 MW or 19.9 per cent more than in 1962. The generating station at Hok Yuen facing Kowloon Bay has a present capacity of 302.5 MW, but it is scheduled to be in- creased to 482.5 MW by the installation of three 60 MW boilers and turbo-alternators already on order. Further additions now being planned will raise the capacity to 662.5 MW. Main transmission over long distances is at present effected mainly at 33-kV. A system at 66-kV is due to be inaugurated in the near future, and at 132-kV at a later stage. In the company's primary sub-stations, the supply is transformed to the distribution voltages of 11,000 or 6,600, these values being stabilized automatically. Ordinary consumers receive alternating current (50 cycles) at 200 volts single phase or at 346 volts three-phase. Special attention is being devoted to the rural electrification scheme and another 130 villages in the New Territories were connected, many in relatively remote areas. The main transmission and distribution system at 30th September 1963 comprised 2.1 miles at 132-kV, 34.1 miles at 66-kV, 233.5 miles at 33-kV and 387.7 miles at 11/6.6-kV. There were 27 primary and 519 ordinary sub-stations and 1,293 trans- formers with a total capacity of 1,185.7 MVA. The number of consumers was 241,001, or 17.8 per cent more than a year pre- viously. To cope with the rapidly increasing number of accounts, a National Cash 315 computer has been installed which is the first unit of its size in the Colony.

At 30th September, 1,342.3 million kWh were generated, an increase of 16.8 per cent over the previous twelve months; 1,159.6 million kWh were sold (increase 18.2 per cent), made up of 207.3 m.kWh lighting, 6.3 m.kWh public lighting, 420.6 m.kWh ordinary power and 525.4 m.kWh bulk supply. Electricity charges a kWh are: Lighting 29 cents; ordinary power 14 cents; domestic cooking 13 cents. These rates are subject to a variable fuel surcharge which is at present four per cent. Discounts are granted for large con- sumption, and special rates quoted for bulk supply.

The Cheung Chau Electric Company Ltd is an independent company and supplies electricity to the island of Cheung Chau