ENG-1970 — Page 207

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PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

and road making material for government projects increased their production of crushed stone to help alleviate the aggregate short- age. The supply of sand which is sold by Government for building purposes was also increased to meet rising demand. The responsi- bility for the procurement and sale of sand was transferred from the Government Supplies Department to the Public Works Depart- ment on July 1, 1970.

The materials testing laboratory operated by the Civil Engineering Office of the Public Works Department carried out approximately 96,996 tests on building materials. Of these, 7,425 were for private firms.

PUBLIC UTILITIES

The Hongkong Electric Company supplies power to Hong Kong Island and the neighbouring islands of Ap Lei Chau and Lamma. Electricity is generated by plants at North Point, which has an installed capacity of 345 MW, and at Ap Lei Chau, which has an installed capacity of 120 MW. Two 125 MW sets are on order for Ap Lei Chau to keep pace with expanding consumer demand. The first of these sets is due to be commissioned in 1972 and the second set in 1973. The secondary distribution voltages are 346 volts, three-phase, four-wire and 200 volts, single-phase. The frequency of the system is stablised at 50 cycles.

Maximum demand on the company's generating plant rose to 304.4 MW in 1970, an increase of 11.1 per cent over 1969. The number of consumers increased by 4.08 per cent during the year, and sales of electricity amounted to 1,210.4 million kwh, an increase of 8.74 per cent. These were made up of: domestic and residential, 323.8 million kwh; commercial, 638.6 million kwh; industrial, 241.4 million kwh; street lighting, 6.6 million kwh.

China Light and Power Co Ltd supplies electricity to Kowloon and the New Territories, including Lantau and a number of outly- ing islands. In 1970 the peak load was 709 MW, which was 15 per cent more than in 1969, and 109 per cent more than in 1965. Generation of electricity is carried out partly by China Light, and partly by Peninsula Electric Power Co Ltd, an enterprise owned and financed by Esso and China Light. The generating station at Hok Yuen, Kowloon Bay, has a capacity of 630 MW, of which