Hong Kong has been meeting its increasing electricity demand through importing fuel for local electricity generation or importing electricity from Mainland China. While energy needs of the community have to be met safely, reliably and efficiently at reasonable prices, local energy policy should also minimise the environmental impact of electricity generation.
The Government is now conducting a public consultation on the future fuel mix for electricity generation, including the options of purchasing from the Mainland power grid or using more natural gas for local generation instead of coal.
As a public health practitioner, write a letter in response to the consultation to discuss the social, economical and environmental factors to be considered, recommend possible option(s) with reasonable arguments, and discuss the likely impact to local and regional population health using appropriate evidence.