Hong Kong Enhances Grid Resilience with Advanced Technologies to Combat Climate Challenges

Speech by SEE at thematic session two of APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting in Korea

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, at "Thematic Session 2: Strengthening Grid Security and Reliability" of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Ministerial Meeting held in Busan, Korea, today (August 28):

Thank you, Chair and fellow colleagues. Maintaining a robust grid infrastructure is essential to ensuring a reliable and stable electricity supply. In addition to the challenges related to ensuring adequate capital investment, competent management and timely adoption of latest technologies, we also face natural challenges. The impact of climate change on Hong Kong, China is increasing. To fight against possible damages by inclement weather, power companies in Hong Kong are using advanced technologies such as AI-driven live monitoring systems of our critical power facilities, as well as state-of-the-art forecasting models on flooding projections for targeted reinforcements of the grid.

As to using technologies to make our grid more resilient, power companies in Hong Kong, China have been using smart grid technologies such as the Smart Metering System, grid automation and condition monitoring of transmission and distribution systems. Through real-time monitoring of electricity consumption patterns for households, providing energy consumption trends to users and warnings on unusual surges in power uses, the system enables individual households to identify rooms for energy conservation, contributing to the energy saving progress of our city. The system may also help detect early anomalies at the consumer end for the power companies' early attention, which will make preventive maintenance more efficient and timely. As of now, the system has covered around more than 90 per cent of the meter population in the city and is expected to fully cover Hong Kong, China by the end of this year.

To help suppress the peak demand and stabilise renewable energy connected to the power system, one of our power companies has connected to a pumped storage power station in our neighbouring province for more than three decades. The pumped storage power system, with installed capacity of 2400 megawatts, serves an important role to store surplus energy generated and as backup electricity capacity.

Power companies in Hong Kong are enhancing grid resilience by application of advanced technology in the power supply infrastructure. They have adopted advanced monitoring and management systems of the health conditions of the transmission cables and electricity substations, with a view to identifying abnormalities and carrying out maintenance at an early stage. The systems have made possible real-time monitoring of the health status of the transmission and distribution network, enhancing power companies' capabilities against possible threats to the power networks and reducing the occurrence of voltage dips and power interruptions.

We will continue to strengthen regional co-operation and work with the power companies to expand transmission capacity and modernise the power grids for better reliability, adaptability and resilience.

Thank you, Chair.

Speech by SEE at thematic session two of APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting in Korea Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes

An incoming passenger was sentenced to 29 days of imprisonment by the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (May 23) for possessing duty-not-paid cigarettes and failing to declare them to Customs officers, in contravention of Dutiable Commodities Ordinance (DCO).

Customs officers intercepted the incoming 58-year-old male passenger at the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point yesterday (May 22) and seized 1 981 sticks of duty-not-paid cigarettes from him. The estimated market value of the seized cigarettes was about $8,100, and the duty potential was about $6,500. He was subsequently arrested.

Customs welcomes the sentence, noting that even a first-time offender may still be imprisoned. The custodial sentence has imposed a considerable deterrent effect and reflects the seriousness of the offences. Members of the public should not defy the law.

Customs reminds members of the public that under the DCO, cigarettes are dutiable goods to which the DCO applies. Any person who imports, deals with, possesses, sells or buys illicit cigarettes commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $2 million and imprisonment for seven years.

Members of the public may report any suspected illicit cigarette activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Incoming passenger convicted and jailed for possession of duty-not-paid cigarettes Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases