ENG-1969 — Page 240

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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

of consumers increased by 4.2 per cent during the year, and sales of electricity amounted to 1,113.1 million kWh, an increase of 13.1 per cent. These were made up of: domestic and residential, 289.2 million kWh; commercial, 580.7 million kWh; industrial, 236.9 million kWh; street lighting, 6.3 million kWh.

The Cheung Chau Electric Company Limited supplies electricity to Cheung Chau Island which contains some small industries and a population of fisherfolk. It was founded in 1913 as a community project and is now operated by commercial interests. It supplies power on a 50-cycle, three-phase, four-wire system of 200/346 volts for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes.

The charges for electricity have been gradually lowered by modernising and increasing the efficiency of the generating plant. Current rates are 52 cents per unit for lighting and 23 cents per unit for domestic and industrial power. Special rates are given to bulk consumers.

The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited supplies Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories. Town gas is available throughout the urban areas, including Repulse Bay on the Island, and the industrial towns of Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan in Kowloon. Liquefied petroleum gas (or bottled gas) is offered to customers who are out of reach of the town gas supply.

The total quantity of gas sold in 1969 was 1,694 million cubic feet (7.7 million therms) compared with 1,590 million cubic feet (7.3 million therms) in 1968. The number of consumers rose from 26,573 to 28,580.

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