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Hongkong Electric – twice as polluting as CLP

Press Release

1 June, 2006

Hongkong Electric – twice as polluting as CLP (per kWh) making 4 times the profit

We need a level playing field instead of special treatment for Cheung Kong

Hongkong Electric is the dirtiest, most polluting, most inefficient, most expensive, most profit gouging power company in Hong Kong. The process license for the Lamma Island plant is due for renewal in 2006 – and it needs to be looked at in comparison to

Hongkong Electric compared to CLP/CAPCO (ExxonMobil) coal power installation:

  1. Charges the public 30% more per kWh ($1.15 vs $0.88)
  2. Generates over twice the pollution per kWh as CLP (see graph) *Note 1
  3. Makes Four times the profit per kWh ($0.57 vs $0.14) **Note 2

2003 Pollution from Power Plants

Data sources:

www.clpgroup.com/clp/Abt/Res/Pub/FinancialReport2005.htm?lang=en

http://www.hec.com.hk/hehWeb/InvestorRelations/FinancialReports/AnnualReports/AnnualReport2005_en.htm

Sources:

CLP Scheme of Control Statement 2005
CLP Ten-year Summary: CLP Group Financial & Operating Statistics
CLP Ten-year Summary: Scheme of Control Financial & Operating Statistics
HEC Ten-Year Scheme of Control Statement
HEC Ten-Year Balance Sheet
HEC Ten-Year Operating Statistics

*Note 1:

Year 2003 CLP/CAPCO HKE
SO2 51059 32765
NOx 28202 17018
RSP 16970 16860

**Note 2:
Year Net return (HK$ m) Electricity sent out (kWh)
CAPCO HEC CAPCO HEC
2005 3,542 6,134 24,877 10,755

Demand management

The proposed measures in the renewal of the HEC process license, due in September 2006, are not enough. We need to know – real time – when the dirtiest turbines are going to be turned on so that we, the public, can take action to reduce our peak demand and the pollution.

Organizations like the Hospital Authority should be given the financial incentives needed to reduce energy at the time it will cause the most pollution. Then they save money and reduce pollution. e.g. High peak – three times the price, Normal peak – current price, Low – half price.

Turbine graph

Turbines turned on based on demand Hong Electric allowed pollution by turbine - 2004

Summary:

1. HEC is so much worse than CLP that its emissions caps should be much tighter than CLP/CAPCO to renewal their process license.

2. HEC must show us the daily usage demand figures so we can “shave the peak” and use less power – and save the most money – when HEC uses its most polluting turbines.

3. We should profit from reducing our demand based on the pollution we prevent – we demand that HEC offer “demand pricing”.

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