“We are now entering the rainy season where thunderstorms can occur daily. If [voltage dips] continue like this, a problem arises where there is no incentive to solve it if there are no penalties,” Tien told a radio programme.

“My latest suggestion is simply imposing a fine of HK$10,000 [US$1,280] for each lift entrapment incident payable to the government, with each person trapped in the lift receiving HK$1,000.”

The legislator also argued that penalties should be applied regardless of whether such incidents were the result of human error or natural causes.

“Reasonable compensation should be provided to anyone affected. That is what constitutes a fair mechanism,” Tien said.

An existing penalty mechanism only covers power outages, with electricity providers paying fines based on the duration of the incident and the number of people affected.

CLP Power serves Kowloon, the New Territories and most outlying islands, while HK Electric supplies Hong Kong and Lamma islands.

Under the penalty mechanism for outages, CLP Power will pay a fine of HK$20 million or a deduction of 0.015 per cent from the permitted return if it records 15 million minutes of power disruptions in a year.

HK Electric is liable to pay the same amount if the company has 10 million minutes of power outages in a year.

Both companies can receive a 0.015 per cent incentive if they restore the power supply within 65 minutes of an outage and maintain a yearly average reliability rate of 99.996 per cent or above.

The next interim review for the two energy firms will take place in 2028.

Saturday’s voltage dip happened a week after a similar case resulted in 52 reports of people stuck in lifts in parts of Kowloon and the New Territories.

Hong Kong’s CLP ordered to submit report after voltage dip traps scores in lifts

CLP Power at the time said a preliminary investigation suggested a hill fire in Yuen Long’s Shap Pat Heung had affected overhead lines on pylons and caused the voltage dip.

In January, authorities gave the firm a month to inspect its electricity supply system after two incidents a week apart resulted in 20 reports of people stuck in lifts.

Tien on Monday said the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department four years ago created a cost-effective automatic rescue system designed for older lifts and came equipped with backup batteries.

“I have personally met [CLP Power] and suggested that they proactively pursue this initiative, but they brushed it off,” the lawmaker said.

He added that the power company should bear 70 per cent of the system’s installation cost, with property owners paying the rest.

Edward Lau Kwok-fan, chairman of the Legislative Council’s environmental affairs panel, told the same programme that authorities and energy firms should consider helping to install voltage dip mitigation devices at older buildings to prevent people getting trapped in lifts.

“The public has become increasingly concerned about these incidents and people are wondering whether a [penalty] mechanism should be set up to address the situation, but we need to differentiate between human factors and circumstances beyond anyone’s control,” he said.

“The government can proactively engage with the power companies and collaborate on how to address these concerns. I agree there is room for discussion, but establishing such a mechanism will require an agreement from all parties.”

Hong Kong authorities receive 52 reports of people stuck in lifts after voltage dip

Edward Lo Wai-chau of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers’ electrical division advised the public to prepare for a potential increase in voltage dips brought on by more severe weather incidents linked to global warming.

Lawmaker Lau urged the government to install underground cables as part of the Northern Metropolis mega project, which aims to establish an innovation and technology hub and create up to 186,000 new homes in the New Territories.

“There are also distributed energy storage systems available now that can store electricity during regular periods and release it rapidly during special circumstances,” he said.

“This can help alleviate the impact of voltage dips and contribute to maintaining the frequency and voltage stability of the power grid.”