Fight Over Hong Kong Power Plants Highlights China’s Pollution Woes

Fight Over Hong Kong Power Plants Highlights China’s Pollution Woes

HONG KONG -- As China grapples with the problem of producing enough electricity to meet the needs of its staggering economic growth, a pollution crisis is beginning to plume over Hong Kong.

Power generation in China's southern province of Guangdong has failed to keep pace with rapid economic development -- forcing it to turn to Hong Kong for electricity. As a result, China Light and Power (CLP), Asia's largest private power utility and the biggest polluter in Hong Kong, is attracting local political criticism for selling an increasing amount of excess electricity to mainland China for profit.

In 2006, electricity sales to China accounted for 13.2 percent of CLP's total Hong Kong sales, nearly doubling from 7.2 per cent in 2002.

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