Maintains Stable Supply During Super Typhoon Ragasa Smart Technologies Enhance Supply Resilience and Efficiency

Press Release 25 September 2025

As Super Typhoon Ragasa made landfall on the mainland earlier, Hong Kong Observatory subsequently cancelled all tropical cyclone warning signals before noon today. When the typhoon passed through Hong Kong, HK Electric maintained normal operations across both its power generation, and transmission & distribution systems.

Lamma Power Station remained fully operational during the storm, thanks to pre-emptive contingency plans and strategically designed infrastructure, including additional flood walls and barriers. These measures helped minimise the impact of storm surges and overtopping waves brought by Super Typhoon Ragasa. The power station was manned by a dedicated team, including senior management, who stayed on-site and took turns on duty throughout the period when Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above was in force, ensuring readiness to respond to any emergency situations.

HK Electric's System Control Centre monitored round-the-clock the operations of the generation, transmission and distribution networks throughout the storm. A total of four incidents were recorded, all caused by external faults outside HK Electric's supply area, which led to momentary voltage dips within the network due to the interconnected systems. All cases were resolved in less than one second, and overall power supply remained stable.

HK Electric's customer emergency hotline received a total of 59 enquiries during the storm. Among them, 37 cases involved power supply disruptions caused by faults in customers' electrical installations. Two cases were due to damage to HK Electric's supply equipment caused by strong winds and fallen trees, both located in Yung Shue Wan on Lamma Island. These were promptly repaired overnight by engineering teams, and normal supply was restored during the storm. The remaining 20 enquiries included issues such as substation alarms,

minor water seepage at substations, and fallen trees or road obstructions near power facilities - none of which affected HK Electric's power supply.

For enquiries related to faults in customers' electrical installations, HK Electric's engineering teams provided support through remote monitoring systems to help identify and resolve issues. Where safety conditions permitted, staff were also dispatched on-site to assist, with the aim of restoring customers' power supply as quickly as possible.

HK Electric Managing Director, Mr. Francis C.Y. Cheng, expressed his sincere appreciation to the teams for their professionalism and unwavering dedication during the storm. He also thanked customers for their patience and understanding amid adverse weather conditions, which enabled Hong Kong to overcome the challenges posed by Ragasa with resilience and unity.

He remarked, "HK Electric will continue to explore and expand the use of smart technologies to further strengthen the capabilities of our generation, transmission & distribution and monitoring systems. Meanwhile, we remain committed to building a professional, reliable, attentive and caring team that delivers quality service to the people of Hong Kong and contributes to the City's development."

To reduce the impact of adverse weather on outdoor power facilities, HK Electric began investing in a large-scale infrastructure programme as early as the early 1990s, gradually replacing overhead lines with underground cables to enhance supply stability and reliability. After decades of effort, underground cables are now fully adopted across Hong Kong Island, except for a few remote areas where low-voltage overhead lines are still in use. These remaining overhead lines have been upgraded to more reliable bundled cables to improve resilience against severe weather. As for the high-voltage overhead lines previously retained for backup purposes, HK Electric has already commenced phased dismantling works.

In addition to grid enhancements, HK Electric has installed an Intelligent Distribution Solution (IDS) at several high-risk substations. The system includes AI-powered CCTV and other smart devices to strengthen real-time remote monitoring of substation operations. During the recent storm, IDS performed as expected - effectively identifying anomalies within substations, such as providing instant alerts for water drips and seepage rates. These critical indicators enabled frontline staff to assess the situation accurately and respond accordingly. The system also helped accelerate support deployment, enhancing overall emergency response efficiency.

HK Electric conducts round-the-clock monitoring of several coastal zone substations in the Eastern District through its CCTV systems. At the substations of Heng Fa Chuen, six CCTV units are installed, alongside flood barriers, drainage pumps, and water ingress monitoring and alarm systems. These facilities enabled real-time monitoring during the storm, allowing for early response and ensuring the substation remained fully operational throughout the typhoon.

Beyond hardware deployment for power facilities, HK Electric also arranged sufficient manpower to respond to emergencies, supported by its Mobile Command Centre and a fleet of emergency mobile generators. To address potential transport disruptions during the storm, the company pre-arranged hotel rooms to ensure that engineering staff could remain close to their work locations during the period when Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above was in force. This arrangement not only avoided cross-district commuting during the typhoon period, but also ensured that on-duty personnel could get adequate rest.

Photo 1 & 2

HK Electric engineers and workers install flood gates and sump pumps at key locations and low-lying areas within Lamma Power Station as part of its storm-preparedness measures for Super Typhoon Ragasa.

Photo 3

An HK Electric engineer conducts an inspection at a substation to ensure safe and stable operations are maintained throughout the typhoon.

Photo 4

HK Electric engineer provides on-site support in Tai Tam Tuk Village to address issues concerning customer-side electrical installations.

Photo 5

Floodwater near the substation on Ka Yip Street in Chai Wan is cleared with the assistance of an HK Electric engineer, ensuring continued safe operations.

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