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Overloading of electricity distribution system resulting in blackouts in public rental housing (PRH) estates have become a thing of the past following the completion of the last upgrading electricity distribution system works at Sha Kok Estate in Sha Tin earlier this year.
"The completion is just in time for PRH households to enjoy the coming World Cup matches with their air-conditioners fully on," the Chief Building Services Engineer, Mr Chiu Kin-chee, said today (May 30).
"Without the upgrading works, the power distribution systems in the PRH blocks built before 1992 are inadequate to meet the power demand when high power consumption appliances such as air-conditioners are used simultaneously by the majority of households," Mr Chiu said.
In view of increasing demand for electricity at PRH estates, the Housing Authority embarked on the Electricity Rewiring and Reinforcement Programme in 1990 to reinforce the rising mains and rewire the electricity distribution systems at about 1,200 PRH blocks in 114 housing estates for 500,000 households at a cost of $2.6 billion.
Technical improvement works under the programme include the addition of a transformer room, upgrading the communal electrical distribution system to 15-20A at risers and 25-40A at lateral mains for each PRH unit.
In addition, all PRH units have been provided with a new consumer unit with residual current devices. It can detect any leakage of current from a portable electrical appliance connected to a socket outlet and cut off the electricity supply to the appliance if the leakage of current exceeds 30 milliamperes.
Moreover, the electricity meters of individual flats are relocated to a meter room on each storey of a housing block. Every meter is controlled by a double pole miniature circuit breaker.
Public lighting installations in corridors, lift lobbies and outdoor areas have also been upgraded with high efficiency fluorescent tubes and electronic ballasts.
"While current electricity supply should be adequate to cater for peak demand in summer months, the Housing Department will continue to record and monitor the maximum current demand in domestic blocks.
"Further upgrading and modernisation of the communal electrical distribution system will be formulated on an individual block basis if there is a need in future," Mr Chiu said.
Ends/Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:20
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