Hong Kong electricity provider CLP eyes China power distribution market, India’s renewables, says CEO
- CLP reported a net loss of HK$907 million (US$116 million) for the first half, on the back of a huge impairment on its Australian retail business
CLP Holdings, the larger of Hong Kong’s two power utilities firms, is eyeing opportunities to invest in southern China’s electricity distribution market, which has been partially deregulated to let private firms participate.
It is also seeking to step up investment in India’s consolidating renewable energy sector and power transmission and distribution assets, chief executive Richard Lancaster told reporters as the firm reported a net loss that fell within expectations.
“As the industry is going through reform, we do see opportunities to participate in [southern China’s] transmission and distribution and energy services [provision],” he said.
In recent years Beijing has launched pilot projects in various provinces to allow private participation in power distribution and retailing, breaking the monopoly of state-owned China Southern Power Grid.
CLP – set up at the beginning of the last century – reported a net loss of HK$907 million (US$116 million) for the first six months of 2019. It made a profit of HK$7.44 billion in the same period a year earlier.