Call to fine power firms if voltage dips trap people in lifts
Electricity firms should be fined for any voltage dips that result in people getting trapped in lifts, lawmakers have proposed, as part of measures in response to a spate of incidents in recent months that had left hundreds in need of rescue.
Lawmaker Michael Tien Puksun yesterday said a penalty system should be created to put pressure on CLP Power, after a high-voltage equipment failure at Black Point power station in Tuen Mun caused a voltage dip last Saturday. The incident left at least 152 people stuck in lifts and set off 16 fire alarms in Kowloon and the New Territories.
“We are now entering the rainy season where thunderstorms can occur daily. If [voltage dips] continue like this, a problem arises where there is no incentive to solve it if there are no penalties,” Tien told a radio programme.
“My latest suggestion is simply imposing a fine of HK$10,000 for each lift entrapment incident payable to the government, with each person trapped in the lift receiving HK$1,000.”
Tien also said penalties should be applied regardless of whether the incidents were the result of human error or natural causes.
An existing penalty mechanism only covers power outages, with electricity providers paying fines based on the duration of the incident and the number of people affected.
The policy was among measures announced last December following the government’s interim review of its “scheme of control” agreements with the city’s two suppliers, CLP Power and HK Electric.
Under the existing penalty mechanism, CLP Power would pay a fine of HK$20 million or a deduction of 0.015 per cent from the permitted return if it recorded 15 million minutes of power disruptions in a year. HK Electric would be liable to pay the same amount if the company had 10 million minutes of power outages in a year.
Both companies could receive a 0.015 per cent incentive if they restored the power supply within 65 minutes of an outage and maintained a yearly average reliability rate of 99.996 per cent or above.
Saturday’s voltage dip happened a week after a similar case resulted in 52 reports of people stuck in lifts in parts of Kowloon and the New Territories.
CLP Power at the time said a preliminary investigation suggested a hill fire in Yuen Long’s Shap Pat Heung had affected overhead lines on pylons and caused the voltage dip.
In January, authorities gave the firm a month to inspect its electricity supply system after two incidents a week apart resulted in 20 reports of people stuck in lifts.
Edward Lau Kwok-fan, chairman of the Legislative Council’s environmental affairs panel, told the same radio programme that authorities and energy firms should consider helping to install voltage dip mitigation devices at older buildings to prevent people getting trapped in lifts.
“The public has become increasingly concerned about these incidents and people are wondering whether a [penalty] mechanism should be set up to address the situation, but we need to differentiate between human factors and circumstances beyond anyone’s control,” he said.
“The government can proactively engage with the power companies and collaborate on how to address these concerns. I agree there is room for discussion, but establishing such a mechanism will require an agreement from all parties.”
He added that there were also distributed energy storage systems available that could store electricity during regular periods and release it rapidly during special circumstances.
“This can help alleviate the impact of voltage dips and contribute to maintaining the frequency and voltage stability of the power grid.”
Edward Lo Wai-chau of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers’ electrical division advised the public to prepare for a potential increase in voltage dips brought on by more severe weather incidents linked to global warming.