If everyone cuts their annual electricity consumption by two per cent, a total of 800 million kilowatt-hours will be saved, which could ensure a year's power supply to 183,000, three-member families, says an environmental organisation.
According to Friends of the Earth (FoE), Hong Kong's domestic electricity consumption rose by 80 per cent over the past 15 years, although the number of households grew by only 43 per cent.
Hong Kong has no energy-intensive industries, but its per capita electricity consumption ranks fourth in the region, behind Japan, South Korea and Russia.
The green group blames the city's electricity wastage on the government's failure to sufficiently promote energy-saving methods among the public.
The rapid rise in electricity consumption has led to increased emissions of air pollutants and higher urban temperatures.
To raise people's awareness of the need to save energy, FoE is inviting every household and school to join the Power-Smart contest, which requires participants to reduce their electricity consumption by at least two per cent from June to August compared with the same period last year.
The biggest savers will be awarded energy-saving washing machines and lights, light-powered wristwatches and organic chicken soup sachets.