Changing power supply companies after the railway merger?!
There are reports from today's
Singtao Daily and its sister English newspaper
The Standard for the merged railway company would use the power supply in China to force the two HK power suppliers to lower the price. Here’re the reports from the two newspapers. :|
Singtao Daily:
兩 鐵 合 併 謀 逼 減 電 費
市 民 盼 兩 鐵 車 資 下 調 ， 減 輕 日 常 交 通 費 負 擔 。
(星島日報報道 )兩鐵合併成為爭取減電費的有利契機。消息人士表示，政府研究現時每年繳交近十億元電費，用電量達中電售電量百分之四的兩家鐵路公司，透過九鐵羅湖站的電網，與內地深圳的供電網接通，從而為整個鐵路網絡供電，打開兩電壟斷的缺口。有立法會議員相信，如果兩鐵獲減電費，料車費有進一步削減空間。
港府剛完成電力市場未來路向的第二階段諮詢，去年底發表的《香港電力市場未來的發展第二階段諮詢文件》中，強調本港電力市場是開放，建議在○八年後密切留意從廣東省引入新電源的機會，並為內地向本港輸電作出準備。同時建議要求兩電開放電網，讓第三者接駁或使用。
目前九鐵使用中電提供的電力，地鐵則向中電及港燈兩者購電。消息人士透露，港府有意透過鐵路網絡，打開電力市場的缺口。該名人士解釋，兩鐵本身各自擁有龐大的獨立電網，鐵路網在地理上亦與廣東省南方電網相近，在概念上，若南方電網伸延一段到羅湖站，已能為整個鐵路網供電，毋須斥巨資大舉興建電網，亦毋須等待兩電願意租出電網，便能為本港電力市場打開缺口。
對於駁通內地電網供電給兩鐵的技術是否可行，該名人士指，實際上只需在鐵路網內興建多個變壓站，便能利用新電源。不過，該名人士承認，供電可靠及穩定性，始終是鐵路公司首要考慮的因素。
據了解，兩鐵作為兩電的大客戶，每年均向兩電要求檢討電費﹔近日亦已就未來可能合併，成為一間更大的機構後，再向兩電作出減價要求。
內地電力成本相對本港便宜，消息人士稱，對於新鐵路公司而言，未來將有多一個電力來源供選擇，此舉亦能增加與兩電談判電費的籌碼。
立法會經濟事務委員會委員李華明相信，兩鐵合併後成新公司將更有利爭取減電費，而且即使開放電網不會在○八年前發生，但○八年後絕對有條件開放電網，內地電力公司可以向兩鐵供電，兩鐵有更多選擇。
他承認兩鐵亦要確保供電的穩定性是否達到合理水平，但目前九廣鐵路深廣段均是用內地電力，看不到有太大穩定性的問題。他亦認為，兩鐵若日後獲減電費，乘客的車費將有進一步減價空間。
The Standard:
Power pair face blow with railway merger
The Hong Kong government is likely to urge the merged MTR Corp and Kowloon-Canton Railway Corp to buy electricity from a supplier other than CLP Power and Hongkong Electric.
Staff reporter
Monday, April 17, 2006
The Hong Kong government is likely to urge the merged MTR Corp and Kowloon-Canton Railway Corp to buy electricity from a supplier other than CLP Power and Hongkong Electric.
The introduction of a new supplier will help the government break the long-time duopoly in the territory, pressuring the two companies to cut prices, according to a source close to the government.
It will also help open up Hong Kong's electricity market and thereby allow the territory's residents and corporations to reduce their power bills, analysts said.
"We would like to bring more pressure on [them] to cut prices before the introduction of a newcomer," the source told Sing Tao Daily, sister paper of The Standard.
"The proposed third party probably will be China Southern Power Grid, as its network is located near KCRC's Lo Wu station."
At present, Hongkong Electric supplies power to Hong Kong Island while CLP focuses on Kowloon and the New Territories.
"It would be feasible for China Southern Power Grid to extend its network to connect its electricity access with the Lo Wu station, allowing it to save time on building a new electricity grid," the source said.
He added the merged railway entity is likely to incur lower power bills if it sources its electricity from a third supplier.
Last year, the two railway operators spent a combined HK$1 billion to buy electricity from both CLP Power and Hongkong Electric.
Under the merger proposal unveiled by the government last week, MTRC will lease KCRC's rail network for 50 years in return for an upfront payment of HK$4.25 billion and an annual payment of HK$750 million.
When merged, the two railway operators are expected to use a single source of electricity.
China Power International Holdings became the first challenger to Hong Kong's power duopoly earlier this year.
At that time, the company, which is one of the mainland's five largest power providers, said it would partner with China Southern Power Grid to break into the Hong Kong electricity market within the first half of this year by supplying power to a small group of industrial and commercial users.
Last year, the government released its Stage II consultation paper for the development of Hong Kong's electricity market beyond 2008.
The government proposed a new scheme of control, to come into effect in 2008, defining its relationship with the two existing electricity suppliers. Under the new regime, the permitted rate of return for the duopoly will fall from the current 13.5 percent to as low as 7 percent while new licenses for operation will be valid for 10 years as opposed to 15 years.
The proposals will imply tariff cuts of 15 percent to 21 percent for CLP and 22 percent to 30 percent for Hongkong Electric in 2009, analysts said.
The proposal is strongly opposed by the two power firms, with CLP saying its relationship with the government is in danger of breaking down.
You may also read the thread of
Third Electric Power Supply Company in HK? [Disscus!] :|
