ENG-1968 — Page 255

PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

187

Town gas production is centred at Ma Tau Kok in Kowloon. The island is supplied by two submarine gas mains across the harbour. The total installed production capacity of the Ma Tau Kok station is approximately nine million cubic feet per day. Tsuen Wan is supplied by an independent station of 900,000 cubic feet per day capacity. To ensure that gas installation work is maintained at a high standard the company has its own installation department which is assisted, when necessary, by authorized sub- contractors. Where building developers provide an internal town gas installation, the company installs gas services, up to the meter positions, free of charge. In addition to dealing with normal maintenance calls, the company provides a 24-hour emergency service.

Gas is sold on a thermal basis (one therm=100,000 British thermal units). The calorific value of town gas in the urban area is 455 British thermal units per cubic foot. However, in the Tsuen Wan area the calorific value of the gas is 650 per cubic foot. The tariff incorporates a standing charge which is dependent upon the size of meter installed. It includes the cost of the first three therms of gas consumed. The scale of charges is:

$10.60 or $24.10

First 3 therms Next 7 therms (up to Next 40 therms (up to Next 75 therms (up to Next 125 therms (up to

10 therms)

2.86 per therm

50 therms)

2.81 per therm

125 therms)

2.74 per therm

250 therms)

2.62 per therm

Next 250 therms (up to Next 500 therms (up to 1,000 therms) Consumption over 1,000 therms

500 therms)

2.51 per therm

2.40 per therm

2.30 per therm

Special rates are offered on an individual basis for large industrial and commercial consumers. The total quantity of gas sold in 1968 was 1,590 million cubic feet (7.3 million therms) compared with 1,488 million cubic feet (6.8 million therms) in 1967. The number of consumers rose from 24,746 to 26,573.

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