A dependable power supply is something most of us take for granted. During our “Dialogue with the General Committee” talk on 29 January, Joseph Law pulled back the curtain on the essential work of maintaining a stable electricity supply.
Law, who is Managing Director of CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd (CLP), highlighted electricity’s invisible yet vital role with the quip, “You can’t see it or touch it, but you’ll certainly know if it’s not there!” The journey starts from sourcing fuel globally for power generation, including natural gas, nuclear and renewable energy. Then the electricity goes through an intricate distribution and transmission network to ensure maximized efficiency during the voltage conversion process.
Like electricity suppliers around the world, CLP faces the challenge of the “energy trilemma,” a delicate mission to strike the right balance among reliability, environmental performance and affordability.
For example, the company provides electricity with a world-class reliability of >99.9%, with 30% of its network served by overhead lines. While underground cables are less vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, shifting to an entirely underground network would substantially affect the cost-effectiveness. “No power grid is 100% safe from risks, so we must also be well-equipped for interruption and work to get back online as soon as possible in case of emergency,” said Law.
Hong Kong has a clear timeline to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with an interim target to cut emissions in half by 2035. To align with the Government’s energy goals, CLP is implementing a three-stage decarbonization strategy. The first step has already been taken: shifting from coal to natural gas. It is now seeking to import cleaner energy to the city, while the third step is to explore replacing natural gas with options such as hydrogen and hybrid systems.
The company is actively embracing the latest innovations to boost both customer experience and operational efficiency. For example, every customer now has a smart meter that updates energy usage data every 30 minutes, and drones are deployed to inspect facilities throughout the power system.
Investment in R&D is another crucial driver of growth. “We are proud of our state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities. These projects are mostly led and executed by local engineers, including two world-level gas pipe power plants and the first offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Hong Kong,” Law added.
Hong Kong’s evolution into a technology hub, with the growth of data centres, the surge in EVs, and the Northern Metropolis development, is set to drive the city’s electricity demand. “We currently serve a population of 6.3 million in New Territories and Kowloon, and we believe this number will continue to rise as the Northern Metropolis takes shape.”
Joseph expressed confidence in powering Hong Kong in the AI era. “Through long-term planning and working with customers and the Government proactively, we have the infrastructure and capabilities in place to ensure sufficient supply to power Hong Kong’s economic growth,” he said.