Energy

Responsible Authority:

Electrical and Mechanical Services Department

Ordinance(s)/Regulation(s) and Brief Description:

The Electricity Ordinance (Cap 406) and the Gas Safety Ordinance (Cap 51) regulate the safe supply of electricity and gas and the safety of household electrical products. The Ordinances provide for the registration of generating facilities, workers and contractors for electrical and gas installations, wiring and gas installation standards and safe distribution and use of electricity and gas. In particular, Cap 51 controls in the interest of safety the importation, manufacture, storage, transport, supply and use of gases (i.e. Towngas, LPG and natural gas), and provides the necessary statutory power for enforcement by the Gas Authority (Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services).

Pursuant to the Gas Safety (Registration of the Gas Supply Companies) Regulations made under the Gas Safety Ordinance (Cap 51), all low pressure regulators for supplying gas from LPG cylinders having less than 40 litres water capacity shall comply with the safety and quality requirements described in the Code of Practice GU09.

Regulations to control safety aspects in import, supply and installation of domestic gas appliances, by the introduction of a mandatory approval scheme, have come into operation on 1 January 2003. The approval scheme, being operated by the Gas Authority, Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD), HKSAR Government, applies to new domestic gas appliances imported, or manufactured locally on or after 1 January 2003 for use in Hong Kong, China while existing appliances already in use are not affected. For details of the approval scheme, please browse EMSD's website.

Conformity Assessment Mechanism:

Electricity Supply

Pre-market examination, registration and certification:

A fixed electrical installation must be inspected, tested and certified by a registered electrical worker before it is energised for use. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department keeps registers of approved electrical contractors, electrical workers and competent persons for locating underground electricity cables.

Post-market surveillance:

The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department conducts site inspections on fixed electrical installations to ensure that they are in compliance with the statutory requirements and acts on complaints and reports.

Gas Supply

Pre-market examination, registration and certification:

Notifiable Gas Installations

The Gas Safety Ordinance defines certain installations (gas production plant, gas holders, high pressure pipelines, LPG storage sites, etc) as Notifiable Gas Installations (NGIs). Owners/operators of NGIs are required to seek prior approval from the Gas Authority before they can be constructed and/or put into use. Only those NGIs that do not pose an unacceptable level of risk to members of the general public are approved by the Gas Authority (the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services). Type approval of LPG containers must be sought from the Gas Authority before they are put into use.

Flexible Gas Tubings and Domestic Gas Appliances

Type approval for flexible gas tubings as well as domestic gas appliances are mandatory backed by legislation.

Gas installers, gas contractors and gas supply companies must be certified by and registered with the Gas Standards Office of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.

Low Pressure Regulators for Supplying Gas from LPG Cylinders having less than 40 litres Water Capacity

An initial type test certificate for each model of regulator, confirming completion of tests in accordance with recognised international standards and issued by a Recognised Certification Authority in the country of origin, shall be forwarded by the manufacturer to the gas supply company prior to importation into Hong Kong, China.

Each batch of regulators imported into Hong Kong, China shall be accompanied by a certificate of compliance confirming manufacture to the recognised international standard, as declared in the primary certification, and country of origin.

Post-market examination:

Notifiable Gas Installations

All gas installations are subject to statutory annual inspections by competent persons enlisted by the Gas Authority and appointed by the owners of respective installations. These inspections are to ascertain that the installations are properly maintained and operated. Gas safety inspectors from the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department will also conduct audit inspections to these gas installations from time to time. In addition, gasholders, LPG storage tanks, cylinders, pressure relief valves and vaporisers are required to be revalidated periodically to ensure their integrity.

Flexible Gas Tubings and Domestic Gas Appliances

Approved flexible gas tubings are subject to batch sampling for testing on a shipment basis, while approved models of domestic gas appliances are subject to local quality assurance sample test and periodic re-validation at 3-yearly interval.

Low Pressure Regulators for Supplying Gas from LPG Cylinders having less than 40 litres Water Capacity

A manufacturer continuing to supply regulators to Hong Kong, China shall submit further production samples annually to the Recognised Certification Authority in the country of origin for full approval testing so as to confirm continued use of materials in accordance with relevant international standard.

Standards: