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CLP Power to investigate ‘why backup system failed’ to prevent Hong Kong’s worst outage in decades

  • Lawmaker Chan Siu-hung says electricity firm will investigate why backup support provided from other areas took so many hours to fully restore power
  • Environment Bureau calls for explanation from electricity firm by end of this week, with detailed report required within 14 days

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CLP workers fix cables that caught fire in Yuen Long. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

CLP Power will investigate how its backup system failed to prevent Hong Kong’s worst power outage in decades, a legislator with ties to the firm has said, after up to 160,000 households were forced to sweat out a hot night without electricity or water.

Lawmaker Chan Siu-hung, a senior adviser to the firm’s parent company, CLP Holdings, on Wednesday defined the scope of the probe into the outage which affected Yuen Long, Tin Shui Wai and Tuen Mun as the Environment Bureau called for an explanation from the power company by the end of this week.

CLP Power apologised over the outage, which resulted in the suspension of classes and disrupted railway and hospital services.

The incident sparked questions from many in the city, including lawmakers, on why the emergency power supply did not work, despite the firm having often emphasised its world-class service, with a reliability rate of more than 99.999 per cent.

About 140,000 affected households had their power gradually restored within hours of the outage on Tuesday night, while the remaining 20,000 had only begun to get their electricity supply back on Wednesday morning, even though CLP Power conceded that the power supply might remain unstable for the coming few days.

Chan, who worked for CLP Holdings for decades, said: “In addition to the reasons for the fire, the direction of the investigation would also include why the backup support provided from other areas took so many hours to fully restore power.”

A resident in Tin Shui Wai charges his mobile phone in a shopping centre. Photo: Felix Wong
A resident in Tin Shui Wai charges his mobile phone in a shopping centre. Photo: Felix Wong
Sammy Heung joined the Post in 2021 after graduating from The University of Hong Kong with a degree in Journalism and a second major in Language and Communication. Her works were seen on Radio Television Hong Kong and HOY International Business Channel. She specialises in healthcare issues in Hong Kong.
Angel Woo
Angel Woo, who is currently studying Global Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, joined the Post as an intern in summer 2022.
Tony Cheung became a political journalist in 2007. He joined the Post in 2012, and covers Hong Kong-mainland relations, public policies and political issues. Prior to joining the Post, he was a reporter at Asia Television in Hong Kong, Beijing and Guangzhou. He holds a Master of Laws in Human Rights degree from the University of Hong Kong.
Chester joined the City Desk of the Post as an intern in summer 2022. He is currently an undergraduate student of Media and Communication and English at City University of Hong Kong. Previously, he worked as a part-time reporter in the Property Desk in Cable TV.
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