Energy Sector Development Office (GDSE) Director Hoi Chi Leong said on Sunday that the government aims for another natural gas power plant in local power utility CEM’s power station at Ka Ho in Coloane island to come into operation in 2021.
Hoi made the remarks while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of this year’s Energy Saving Week launching ceremony in Praca do Tap Seac.
The annual event organised by the office aims to raise residents’ energy-saving awareness by holding a raft of activities throughout the week.
Speaking during the launching ceremony, Hoi said that as the former CEM power station in Areia Preta district has been demolished, all the locally-produced electricity now comes from the power utility’s power station in Ka Ho. Currently, the majority of the local electricity is imported from the mainland.
Speaking to reporters, Hoi noted that the natural gas supply to Macau from the mainland resumed in March last year, adding that CEM is currently running a natural gas power plant in its Ka Ho power station.
Hoi said that the government is studying the construction plans for another natural gas power plant at the Ka Ho power station, adding that it is aiming for the new natural gas power plant to be operation in 2021.
Hoi said that after the new natural gas power plant at the Ka Ho power station comes into operation, the existing diesel-powered electricity generators and those powered by heavy fuel oil there will be kept as standby generators.
He said that electricity production by natural gas at the Ka Ho power station at that time (2021) will cover one third of the total electricity consumption in the city.
At that time, Hoi said that if the power utility switches on the standby generators powered by diesel and heavy fuel oil in case of emergency, the total electricity production at the Ka Ho power station can amount to half of the amount that the city consumes.
