Officials reveal 51,000 elevators in Hong Kong are not equipped with voltage-shedding devices to reduce the risk of entrapment

Nearly 70 percent of Hong Kong’s elevators are not equipped to automatically start working after voltage drops, authorities said, adding that installing just one in an old building would cost at least HK$500,000.

Chan Pak-cheung, deputy director of the Department of Electrical and Mechanical Services, said on Monday that Hong Kong has 73,000 elevators, but only 22,000 have been equipped with devices to mitigate voltage drops, allowing operation to resume after self-inspection.

Cranes installed after 2009 must be equipped with such devices.

“Most of the elevators affected by voltage problems are primarily older models operated by electronic control panels,” Chan said.

“The cost of installing such devices in older elevators could potentially exceed HK$500,000 for a single elevator.”

The meeting also discussed whether a penalty mechanism should be added to the regulatory regime of CLP Power, which supplies Kowloon, the New Territories and most of the outlying islands, in the event of voltage sags.

Last month, a lightning-related failure of high-voltage equipment at the Black Point power station in Tuen Mun caused two further blackouts, leaving 152 people stuck in elevators and setting off 16 fire alarms.

A week earlier, a fire on a hill in Yuen Long affected overhead cables, trapping 52 elevators. In January, cable failures caused voltage drops twice and disrupted power supplies in Tsing Yi.

Panel chairman Edward Lau Kwok-fan and legislator Benson Luk Hon-man expressed concerns about whether authorities would help speed up installation and the energy giant would help financially to prevent elevators from becoming stranded during brownouts.

CLP Power managing director Joseph Law Ka-chun said the company has provided free consultations to more than 100 housing estates and customers on mitigation devices, and more than half have adopted its suggestions in the past three years.

“We are currently actively working with the elevator and property management industry and relevant government departments to develop a viable solution. If this solution can be implemented on older cranes, it will effectively address the root cause.

The existing penalty mechanism only covers complete power outages, with electricity suppliers paying penalties depending on the duration and number of people affected.

Lawmaker Lo Wai-kwok acknowledged that voltage sags are inevitable due to factors such as inclement weather and opposed imposing penalties for such incidents, while Michael Tien Puk-sun said that voltage sag incidents caused by human error should be punishable fines.

Environment and Ecology Undersecretary Diane Wong Shuk-han said officials have already met with CLP Power and proposed including a punitive framework for severe voltage drops in the regulatory control agreement program the company is still considering.