Macau, January 18, 2017

With Chinese New Year around the corner, CEM has teamed up with the Housing Bureau to provide free inspection and maintenance of household electrical installations to 22 senior citizens who live alone at Edf. D. Julieta Nobre de Carvalho, so as to enhance their power utilization safety and deliver greetings to them ahead of Chinese New Year.

CEM debuted its Community Program in 2000, being one of the first organizations in Macau to launch such program. Each year since then, CEM would collaborate with different local groups under the Program and send its volunteer team of electricians to provide free inspection and maintenance of household electrical installations for senior citizens who live in solitude, under-privileged families as well as people with special needs.

CEM fully understands that the household electrical installations of senior singletons frequently encounter problems due to poor maintenance, hence affecting their daily use and even increasing potential risks. Cecilia Nip, Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Communications Senior Manager said that the number of elderly people who live on their own or with spouses is on the rise, and some of them are low-income folks who live in not-so-ideal environments. For these individuals, safe use of electricity and appropriate electrical installations are particularly important.

All senior citizens were referred by the Housing Bureau. CEM and the Housing Bureau arranged electricians to check and maintain their household electrical installations. Chou Chu Tai, a senior singleton aged 86, thanked volunteers of CEM and the Housing Bureau for helping to test and repair electrical installations. He had been worried about accidents caused by old wires in the past, but he feels a lot more reassured now.

One of  CEM electrician volunteers Cheang Kai Chio who participated in the activity said senior residential customers may face various potential risks when using electricity, such as faulty power installations, overload of multiple plug sockets, lack of earth-leakage circuit breakers, and electric leakage due to misuse of electrical appliances. The Program is of great significance and provides them with an opportunity to help senior citizens inspect and maintain their power installations, as well as promote knowledge on safe use of electricity, Cheang added.

In addition to the participation of employees from the Housing Bureau and CEM to provide senior citizens with free inspection and maintenance of electrical installations, representatives from Housing Bureau and CEM also paid a visit to senior citizens living in solitude, extending greetings and blessings to them for the upcoming Chinese New Year.

This year, CEM will continue to collaborate with local associations to carry out the “Community Program”, fulfil its corporate social responsibility to care for communities, and provide customers with reliable power supply and high-quality customer services to support the sustainable development of Macau.