Dedicated staff of the joint venture company celebrates the completion of the wind farm project at the ceremony. The Group Finance Director of HK Electric, Mr. Neil McGee (second from left) and Director and General Manager of Hongkong Electric International, Mr. Charles Tsai (centre), picture at the wind farm together with the project team. Mr. McGee (left) officiates at the completion ceremony. The Dali project, being the highest altitude wind farm in the mainland, comprises 64 wind turbines.

Dedicated staff of the joint venture company celebrates the completion of the wind farm project at the ceremony. The Group Finance Director of HK Electric, Mr. Neil McGee (second from left) and Director and General Manager of Hongkong Electric International, Mr. Charles Tsai (centre), picture at the wind farm together with the project team. Mr. McGee (left) officiates at the completion ceremony. The Dali project, being the highest altitude wind farm in the mainland, comprises 64 wind turbines.

HK Electric announced today that its first wind power project in China, a 48-megawatt (MW) wind farm located in Dali of Yunnan Province, has been completed and will come into commercial operation in early 2009.

The Dali project, being the highest altitude wind farm in the mainland (2,400-2,800 meters above sea level), is jointly developed by Hongkong Electric International (HEI) and its local partner, Huaneng New Energy Industrial Company Limited, with an investment of about RMB 500 million.

HEI owns 45 per cent of the joint venture project, which comprises 64 wind turbines of 750 kilowatt each. The project qualifies for Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol.

The Group Finance Director of HK Electric, Mr. Neil McGee, and Director and General Manager of HEI, Mr. Charles Tsai, joined in a ceremony last Saturday, held in Dali and hosted by provincial authorities to announce the completion of HK Electric's wind farm.

Mr. McGee officiated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony together with senior energy officials and other dignitaries including the Vice Governor of the People's Government of Yunnan Province, Mr. He Duanqi and Member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China, Mr. Gou Qingming.

"This is an important milestone for HK Electric as the project is our first completed renewable energy (RE) project in the mainland," said Mr. McGee after the ceremony, adding that it also demonstrates the Company's commitment towards the development of RE.

Wind energy has become one of the most important renewable sources for power generation in the world, with substantial development potential for wind power in the mainland, Mr. McGee noted.

The project, he continued, is an example of the seamless cooperation between HEI and Huaneng which has made it possible for an on-time and on-budget project.

"We are delighted to be able to collaborate with Huaneng and make the project a success. While we contribute our management and technical expertise, the rich local experience of our partner in wind energy development is indispensable," Mr. McGee said.

HEI is looking forward to the commissioning of its second joint venture project with Huaneng - a 49.5 MW wind farm in Leting, Hebei Province, in 2009.

Mr. McGee further said that the wind farm projects would contribute to the Group's growing investment portfolio outside Hong Kong, which includes investments in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Thailand and Canada.