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1,800 Mega Watt Extension at Lamma Island Gas-fired Power Station

Project Description

The HongKong Electric Company Limited (HEC) is committed to providing a reliable and cost-effective electricity supply to meet current and future power requirements of Lamma and Hong Kong Islands. A new 1,800MW power station with six 300MW units will need to be fully developed by 2012, with the first unit to begin operation by 2004.

A Site Search Study concluded that an extension to Lamma Power Station was the preferred site on condition that units were to be fired by the more environmental-friendly fuel of natural gas rather than coal. Natural gas was chosen as it could reduce the potential adverse air quality impacts by shifting of the base-load operation of existing coal-fired plants to new gas-fired units in phases while the total electricity generation in the year 2012 would be increased to 2.57 times that of 1990.

Based on the outcomes of this Site Search Study, an EIA study was conducted to determine the environmental acceptability of the proposed new extension at Lamma Island Power Station.

Mitigation Measures and Outcomes

1. By shifting the base load from the existing coal-fired units to new gas-fired units, a total of 6.5 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions will be avoided in 2012. This means that the estimated greenhouse gas emissions per unit of electricity produced will be reduced by 37% below the 1990 level in 2012 despite the increase in power generating capacity.
2. Reductions in 61% of SO₂ and 40% of NOx emissions will benefit local air quality in 2012 when compared to 2002. From a regional perspective, the contribution to acid deposition in the Pearl River Delta by this new power station would be 3% and 1% for the years 2002 and 2012 respectively, a reduction of 2%.
3. Deployment of no less than 400m³ of artificial reefs could enhance coral habitation. Provision of greater than 31,000m² of rubble mound seawalls on the western and southern edges of the reclamation will be employed to facilitate re-colonization of soft corals and gorgonians that might be damaged or disturbed as a result of reclamation activity at Lamma Island.
4. The use of silt curtains and reduced dredging rates at certain stages of the tidal cycle prevented unacceptable impacts to the water quality while protecting marine ecology resources.
5. Construction of seawalls to above sea level before backfilling of the site platform commenced prevented the loss of excessive fine to the water column during sand filling.
6. To avoid adverse impact to the Finless porpoise, jet laying for the gas pipeline would be prohibited in southeastern Lamma Island from April to June. The routing of all construction related vessels would avoid disturbance of the finless porpoise in southern waters.