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LCQ17 : Air pollutants emitted from CLP Power's coal-fired generating units
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    Following is a question by the Hon Lau Kong-wah and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (March 29) :


Question:

     It is learnt that in order to increase the generation of electricity for sale to the Mainland, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP Power) has put into operation all the coal-fired generating units in the Castle Peak Power Station.  Research findings have indicated that this power station is the main source of air pollutants for districts in New Territories West such as Tung Chung and Tuen Mun.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)  whether it has assessed the implications, on the annual environmental costs and health care expenditure of Hong Kong, of air pollutants and greenhouse gases emitted from CLP Power's coal-fired generating units in the territory in the course of generation of electricity for sale to the Guangdong Province; if so, of the outcome of the assessment;

(b)  whether it has assessed the implications on the annual environmental costs and health care expenditure of Hong Kong if the electricity sold to the Guangdong Province is generated in the Mainland rather than in Hong Kong as is currently the case; if so, of the outcome of the assessment; and

(c)  how the statistics on residents in New Territories West who suffer from respiratory illnesses compare with those in Hong Kong as a whole?


Reply:

Madam President,

     CLP Power's export of 3.1 billion kWh of electricity to the Mainland in 2004 has resulted in the emission of some 11,800 tonnes of sulphur dioxide, 6,100 tonnes of nitrogen oxide and 290 tonnes of respirable suspended particulates, which accounted for 12%, 7% and 4% of the total emission of the respective pollutants in Hong Kong in 2004.  Owing to the emission of 2.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, the emission of greenhouse gases represented 6% of their total emission in Hong Kong.  If CLP Power ceases to export electricity to the Mainland, it will reduce local emissions immediately, thus helping Hong Kong to meet the 2010 emission reduction targets and reduce air pollution.

     CLP Power's electricity export to the Mainland only accounts for 1% to 2% of the total generating capacity of the Guangdong Province.  The Guangdong Provincial Government is progressively increasing the total electricity generating capacity for consumption by the Guangdong Province from 33,000 MW in 2000 to 64,000 MW in 2010.  Meanwhile, they are installing flue gas desulphurization units for coal-fired and oil-fired generating units of over 125 MW, and have ceased planning for new coal-fired and oil-fired power stations in the Pearl River Delta.  All this will significantly reduce emissions.  Therefore, it will not have any environmental impact on Hong Kong even if CLP Power's electricity supply to the Mainland is replaced by that generated by the power plants in the Guangdong Province.

     The environmental costs and health care expenditure attributable to air pollution are indirect and long-term. According to a study commissioned by the Environmental Protection Department and conducted by the University of Hong Kong and Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2002, using the air quality and population data for 2000, the economic losses (including consultation and hospitalization fees and productivity loss incurred) caused by respiratory and cardiovascular diseases possibly related to air pollution may total $1.7 billion each year. However, the existing data and information are insufficient for us to make a scientifically accurate assessment of the impact on health care expenditure as a result of electricity export to the Mainland by individual power companies.

    The respective numbers of patients (as per one thousand population) of three related disease groups (i.e. asthma/COPD, pneumonia and upper respiratory tract infection) utilizing in and day patient services in New Territories West and the whole of Hong Kong are shown in the following table :

                                Upper Respiratory
District  Asthma/COPD Pneumonia Tract Infection
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Yuen Long   1.7         3.0          2.6
Tuen Mun    1.6         2.7          2.7
Hong Kong   2.3         3.6          2.7
as a whole

Ends/Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:32

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