Francis Cheng

Mr. Francis C.Y. Cheng is an engineer with over 45 years of working experience in the power industry. He joined The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric) in 1979. He was the Station Manager of Lamma Power Station before promoting to Operations Director in 2017 overseeing the electricity generation, transmission and distribution, as well as system operation and information technology functions of HK Electric. Mr. Cheng was further promoted to his present position of Managing Director of HK Electric in July 2023, and continues leading the Group to drive innovation and achieve zero-carbon energy while maintaining world-class electricity-supply service with reliability over 99.9999%. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of HK Electric Investments Limited and an executive director of Power Assets Holdings Limited. Mr. Cheng holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom, and a Fellow of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

As the global energy sector continues to face the dual challenges of extreme weather and increasing sustainability demands, HK Electric is committed to delivering a safe, reliable, clean, and affordable electricity supply to our customers under the Scheme of Control Agreement entered into between the Government and HK Electric.

Our proactive network maintenance and floodproofing programme yielded a reliability rating of over 99.9999%. On average, our customers experienced less than 0.5 minutes of unplanned power interruption during 2024. Leveraging increased use of natural gas, we also achieved our goal of reducing carbon emissions in support of the Government’s carbon reduction targets. Compared to 2005, we have already reduced carbon emissions by approximately 40%.

Moving forward, HK Electric’s sustainability strategy will continue to evolve with a strong focus on decarbonisation, innovation, and community engagement—underscoring our commitment to inclusive and sustainable development. To support this vision, HK Electric has set sustainability targets for 2025, focusing on the following key areas:

1. HK Electric is committed to advancing our sustainability agenda in alignment with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2025, we will continue to contribute to six key focused SDGs—Goals 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13—which closely align with our corporate strategies and business priorities. For example, we will complete full-scale smart meter deployment in 2025, empowering residential and corporate customers to monitor and manage their electricity consumption anytime, anywhere via the HK Electric App. Additionally, we aim to maintain a safe and reliable electricity supply with a yearly reliability rating exceeding 99.999%.

2. A core decarbonisation initiative of HK Electric is driving the energy transition, with a firm commitment to achieving net-zero electricity generation by 2050. The implementation of our 2024–2028 Development Plan, approved by the Government, facilitates this transition. Construction of the new gas-fired unit L13, designed to further increase gas generation, is progressing as planned toward its scheduled commissioning in 2029—marking a major milestone in our energy transition journey.

3. To ensure long-term reliability, we are strengthening our power supply infrastructure through innovation and proactive risk management. Coastal substations vulnerable to storm surges are being retrofitted with flood-prevention facilities in two phases: Phase I (within 100 meters of the coastline) is set for completion in 2025; Phase II (beyond 100 meters) will follow in 2026.

4. In 2025, HK Electric will continue to go beyond environmental stewardship by enhancing social value creation through key community initiatives. The Happy Green Campaign will inspire our younger generations to embrace energy efficiency, renewable energy, and low-carbon lifestyles. Meanwhile, the U3A Programme will expand its reach to support lifelong learning and foster stronger community engagement among older adults in Hong Kong.