Government announces senior appointment
The Government announced today (January 2) that Miss Linda So Wai-sze, Director, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, will take up the post of Director, Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office, on January 5, 2026.
The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, said, "Miss So is a seasoned Administrative Officer with proven leadership and management skills. I have every confidence that she will continue to serve the community with professionalism in her new capacity."
A brief biographical note of Miss So is set out below:
Miss Linda So Wai-sze
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Miss So joined the Administrative Service in July 1996 and rose to the rank of Administrative Officer Staff Grade B1 in April 2024. She has served in various bureaux and departments, including the former Home Affairs Branch, the former Constitutional Affairs Bureau, the former Information Technology and Broadcasting Bureau, the Home Affairs Department, the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Education Bureau and the Chief Executive's Office. She was Principal Assistant Secretary for Transport of the former Transport and Housing Bureau from July 2016 to September 2017, Deputy Director-General of Civil Aviation from September 2017 to November 2022, and has been serving as Director, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong, since December 2022.
Government announces senior appointment Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Electrical and Mechanical Services Department releases review results report on CLP Power Hong Kong Limited's power supply system
The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (January 2) released the review results report on CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP)'s power supply system. The report has been uploaded to the following website: www.emsd.gov.hk/filemanager/ReviewResultsReport(Eng).pdf.
Under the supervision of the Steering Committee on Review of CLP's Power Supply System, comprising local experts and scholars, the EMSD has completed the review and submitted the report to the Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB). The review comprehensively analysed the causes of all incidents of power supply interruptions and voltage dips of CLP from 2021 to June 2024. Targeting the existing condition of CLP's power supply system, the review results report proposed five action objectives, formulated 11 action strategies, and put forward43 recommendations based on the said action objectives.
The EEB will work with the EMSD to closely monitor CLP's implementation of the recommendations in the review results report, particularly on fostering CLP to establish a more proactive maintenance culture, with a view to further enhancing the stability and reliability of CLP's power supply system and reducing the likelihood and impacts of power incidents in the future.
The spokesperson for the EEB said, "The Government attaches great importance to the power companies' abilities to maintain a safe and reliable power system. In light of the multiple power incidents that occurred with CLP in the first half of 2024, the EEB requested the EMSD to conduct a comprehensive review of CLP's power supply system and make targeted recommendations. These recommendations should be focused on reducing power supply interruptions and voltage dips, as well as minimising the impact of such incidents on the public. The EEB deeply appreciates the relentless efforts of the Steering Committee led by Mr Kelvin Lo and their professional advice tendered for the review."
Under the supervision of the EMSD, CLP had started to implement some of the improvement measures before completion of the review. Measures include using the Intelligent Management System Grid-V to detect risks in the vicinity of power supply equipment, installing additional lightning protection systems, and adding floodgates or flood protection facilities at more critical substations. The number of CLP's large-scale power interruption incidents affecting over 2 000 households in 2025 were reduced by half year-on-year, and CLP's power supply system remained generally intact during the passage of Super Typhoon Ragasa and Typhoon Wipha when Hurricane Signals No. 10 were issued.
As regards the power interruption incident that occurred in Kowloon City during the afternoon of December 18, 2025, CLP activated interconnectors to allocate backup power and conducted remote operations, restoring supply to over 70 per cent of affected customers within four minutes, which proved that the recommendation "to increase the number of interconnectors in the urban distribution network" in the review report may effectively reduce the scope and duration of incident impacts on customers. CLP, in accordance with the newly established service pledge, dispatched a maintenance team to the site within 22 minutes after the incident to conduct a power outage inspection.
To ensure that CLP fully and systematically implements the recommendations of the report, thereby further enhancing the stability and reliability of its power supply system, CLP has established an action plan timetable per the Government's request. The five action objectives and their recommendations in the review results report mainly include:
(1)Reduce incidents of power supply interruptions and voltage dips
expedite the digitisation of equipment maintenance;
conduct tests on high-risk underground circuits;
proactively collaborate and follow up with road excavation contractors; and
improve the lightning protection systems of power stations.
(2)Alleviate the impact of power supply interruptions and voltage dips on customers
increase the number of interconnectors in the urban distribution network to strengthen mutual backup ability;
formulate a joint crisis response drill plan with major public service providers; and
strengthen incident response drills with property management companies.
(3)Expedite power restoration after power supply interruption incidents
optimise the incident handling and power restoration workflows; and
increase flexibility in deploying temporary power supply sources and improve standard operating procedures for mobile generator deployment.
(4)Leverage innovative technologies for maintenance and monitoring of equipment conditions
extend the application of the Intelligent Management System Grid-V;
uplift construction site activity monitoring by deploying AI-powered cameras to reduce the risk of third-party damage to transmission and distribution cables; and
leverage smart meter and data analytics of advanced metering infrastructure to reduce low voltage power incidents.
(5)Promote a more proactive maintenance culture comprehensively
explore the feasibility of establishing an independent material sampling and testing mechanism for quality assurance; and
establish comprehensive communication channels with contractors to enhance contract management.
Source: AI-found images
