The Public Works Tender Board announced today (November 29) that owing to air-conditioning works at 5/F, Low Block of Queensway Government Offices, the Public Works Tender Box (PWTB) located at Room 503, 5/F, Low Block, will be closed temporarily during the following periods:
 
(i) from noon on December 8 to 9am on December 11; and
(ii) from noon on December 15 to 9am on December 18.
 
     Tenderers are advised to carefully read government tender notices, which state the respective closing time of tenders. They may wish to allow sufficient time to make arrangements to deposit their tenders into the PWTB before the respective closing time of tenders. Late tenders will not be accepted.
      
     For enquiries, please call 2867 1409 between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Friday (except public holidays).

     The Head of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (WFSFAA), Mr Andrew Tsang, today (November 29) said that increasing the payment rates under the Working Family Allowance (WFA) Scheme would effectively strengthen the policy objectives of the Scheme to encourage continuous employment and reward hard work.

     The 2023 Policy Address announced that, with effect from the claim month of April 2024, the rates of the household and child allowances under the WFA Scheme would be increased by 15 per cent across the board. Mr Tsang said, "This will help further relieve the burden of grassroots working families and support them in raising children. The measure will also encourage continuous self-reliance through full-time employment and incentivise more such families to join the labour market."

     Taking a four-person household with two eligible children as an example, starting from April 2024, the maximum monthly WFA will increase from the current amount of $4,200 to $4,830. Taking into account the six-month claim period for each application, the maximum allowance of each application will increase from the prevailing amount of $25,200 to $28,980. The amounts of allowance after the increase are set out in the Annex. In 2022-23, more than 66 000 households were successfully granted the WFA, which involved about 220 000 persons (including more than 86 000 children).

     To facilitate applications for the WFA by families in need, the WFSFAA has cut down on the documentary proofs to be submitted by applicants. Applicants who have practical difficulty in providing documentary proof on household income or working hours (such as casual workers or self-employed persons) may submit a statement of self-declaration in lieu. The WFSFAA has also been striving to enhance its e-submission and online services. In the past two years, the use of e-submissions has increased significantly from 8 per cent of all applications to the present 50 per cent.

     To reach out to the community in promotion of the WFA Scheme, the WFSFAA will strengthen collaboration with non-governmental organisations, Integrated Family Service Centres of the Social Welfare Department, owners' corporations of buildings, schools, social enterprises, unions and companies of various trades (such as cleaning, guarding, property management, transport, sales, catering industries), and step up publicity in public transportation, public housing estates and community halls under District Offices.

     The WFSFAA's mascot, S. Buddy, is featured as a family of four in newly launched leaflets and posters to explain the Scheme in an interesting and lively manner. S. Buddy also serves as an online chatbot to answer public questions and enquiries about application progress round the clock. Members of the public may also contact the WFSFAA using the 24-hour hotline (2558 3000) or email (enquiry_wfao@wfsfaa.gov.hk); or schedule a visit through the Online Counter Appointment System (counters located on 9/F, 181 Hoi Bun Road, Kwun Tong).

    

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, at a media session after attending a meeting of the Panel on Environmental Affairs of the Legislative Council today (November 28):
 
Reporter: Mr Tse, can you recap in English on why a new penalty mechanism only apply to the CLP Yuen Long incident but not the power outage by Hong Kong Electric? And also both firms refuse to lower the maximum cover level, can you tell us, will the Government push these two companies again to lower the level? Thank you.
 
The Secretary for Environment and Ecology: In this interim review, we have sought the two companies (CLP Power Hong Kong Limited and The Hongkong Electric Company Limited) to agree to three major changes to the Scheme of Control Agreements. One is that during the energy crisis, they will introduce a special subsidy scheme to alleviate those who are the most needed. I think that is a good tool. That means the two power companies agreed that they have to take up certain social responsibilities. The second one is that we have introduced a new penalty mechanism in case of major power interruption cases. We have introduced what we call a Customer Interruption Duration (CID). If they exceed certain level there will be a penalty. I think this is also a breakthrough because all along we have used bonus to encourage them to perform better in terms of stability, in terms of the speed of restoring electricity supply, etc. But this (CID) is a new concept. If they run into a major interruption situation, then there will be a penalty. And with the introduction of this system, for the case of power cable incident of CLP Power Hong Kong Limited in Yuen Long last year, the mechanism will come in, and there will be a penalty if the same happens in future. For the case of the Hong Kong Electric happened earlier, because for most of the customers, the interruption affected was relatively short, in terms of the duration. Therefore it would not trigger this new penalty mechanism. However, for that particular case, our concern is whether there is human error involved causing that interruption. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department will investigate into the case under the Electricity Ordinance. That is outside the Scheme of Control Agreements mechanism but we will look into that.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     In support of the "District Council (DC) Election Fun Day" to further boost the community engagement and ambience of the DC election and encourage electors to cast their votes, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will offer free admission to the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum (except for the Space Theatre's shows) as well as the Hong Kong Museum of Art’s special exhibition "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Titian and the Venetian Renaissance from the Uffizi" on December 9.

     Moreover, "Fun in Sports & DC Election" will also be held at six outdoor venues of the department, namely Kung Fu Corner at Kowloon Park; Kai Tak Station Square; Hong Kong Velodrome Park; Ginza Square in Tin Shui Wai; Pak Tai Temple Playground, Cheung Chau; and Quarry Bay Park (Tai Chi Garden) that afternoon. By arranging different types of sports demonstrations, games booths, physical fitness tests and the like, members of the public of different ages are encouraged to participate in the events and raise their interest in doing exercise. They can enrol on the spot during the event day with free admission to the programmes suitable for people of all ages. Details of the events are as follows: 
 

     A range of delightful free exhibitions are also available at the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong Museum of History, Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence, Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery, Law Uk Folk Museum, Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb Museum, Sheung Yiu Folk Museum, Hong Kong Film Archive, Sam Tung Uk Museum, Hong Kong Railway Museum, Oil Street Art Space (Oi!) and Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre that day. Members of the public are welcome to visit. For details and opening hours of exhibitions, please visit the website of the respective museums and cultural spaces. 

     The Chief Executive-in-Council (CE-in-Council) approved today (November 28) the Development Plans for the next five years and the 2024 Electricity Tariff Review of CLP Power Hong Kong Limited and Castle Peak Power Company Limited (collectively CLP) and The Hongkong Electric Company Limited (HKE). The CE-in-Council also took note of the consensus reached with the power companies under the interim review of the Scheme of Control Agreements (SCAs) undertaken in 2023 (2023 Interim Review). The Environment and Ecology Bureau will modify the SCAs with the power companies in accordance with the consensus. The modifications are expected to be completed and come into effect early next year.
 
2024-28 Development Plans and 2024 Electricity Tariff Adjustments
 
     "The Government's energy policy objectives are to ensure that the public will enjoy reliable, safe and environmentally friendly electricity supply at reasonable costs. In reviewing the power companies" 2024-28 Development Plans, the Government only accepts only those capital project proposals which are considered absolutely necessary," said the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan.
 
     The total estimated capital expenditures in the power companies' 2024-28 Development Plans are lower than those of the current 2018-23 Development Plans, with CLP at $52.9 billion and HKE at $22.0 billion. It is mainly due to less investment in generation projects, partly offset by higher investment in transmission and distribution (T&D) system. The generation investment will be reduced after the substantial investment in the current Development Plans for replacement of coal generation by cleaner energy. There is also a need to contain power companies' further investment in local generation for the time being when the Government is planning for more clean energy import through co-operation with the Mainland in future. The higher investment in T&D is for maintaining supply reliability and meeting the electricity demand of Hong Kong, in particular for the development of Northern Metropolis and new development areas. 
 
     The 2024 Electricity Tariff Review is approved as part of the two power companies' 2024-28 Development Plans. Owing to capital investment made and cost escalation, CLP and HKE will increase its 2024 Basic Tariff (on average by 3.1 per cent for CLP; whilst on average by 4.4 per cent for HKE). However, due to recent drop in international fuel prices, the power companies' Net Tariff in January 2024 will in fact be reduced on average by 7.4 per cent (CLP) and 16.0 per cent (HKE) respectively as compared with January 2023.
 
2025 to 2028 Projected Electricity Tariffs
 
     The power companies' projected that the average annual increase in projected Basic Tariff from 2025 to 2028 of about 2 to 3 per cent is close to the projected trend of inflation. Assuming that fuel prices will remain stable, the average annual increase in Net Tariff will be no more than 2 per cent. The Basic Tariff during the entire 2024-28 Development Plan period is projected to increase at an average annual rate of 2.2 per cent for CLP and 3.1 per cent for HKE. The projected levels of Basic Tariff for 2025 to 2028 are only projections and the actual tariffs to be charged to consumers each year will be determined during the annual Tariff Review. The power companies can adjust the Fuel Clause Charges on a monthly basis with reference to actual fuel costs at that time. 
 
     To alleviate the impact of using greener fuel for electricity generation on electricity tariffs, the Government has been providing a monthly electricity charges relief of $50 since 2019 for each eligible residential electricity account, and will be providing a new round of monthly relief of $50 to each eligible residential electricity account during January 2024 to December 2025 (for 24 months).
 
     Details of the 2024 electricity tariffs and the projected electricity tariffs from 2025 to 2028 are set out in Annex.
 
2023 Interim Review
 
     As regards 2023 Interim Review, the Government proposed to the power companies the modifications to the SCAs on a number of areas. Upon rounds of negotiations, the two power companies have agreed to modifications in the following three areas: (a) new Special Tariff Relief Mechanism during energy crisis; (b) introducing a penalty scheme for large-scale electricity supply interruptions; and (c) enhancing transparency on information disclosure to public.
 
     Through the 2024-28 Development Plans and 2024 Electricity Tariff Review, as well as 2023 Interim Review, the Government has achieved two aims, which are (a) advocating to the power companies for the provision of reasonably-priced, stable and reliable electricity to support high-quality development of Hong Kong; and (b) fostering the power companies to shoulder social responsibilities and ride out the difficulties together with the public in times of energy crisis.