Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said the government will try to keep an expected increase in electricity charges to a minimum.

One of the city's power firms, CLP, said on Wednesday that tariff increases are "unavoidable" next year, citing surging fuel prices.

Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme on Friday, Tse noted that tariffs for the coming year will be announced in late November at the earliest, as the government is still in talks with the city's two power companies, CLP and HK Electric.

Asked if the tariff hikes could reach double-digits, Tse said: "We hope all increases would be kept to their lowest levels, this is our goal.

"As we haven't ended our discussions, it is not appropriate for me to disclose anything, but I can guarantee that we will try our best in working towards this goal."

Tse pointed out that government subsidies for electricity charges are still in place

He also called on people to use more energy-efficient products.

HK Electric customers paid 7 percent more for electricity this year, while charges for CLP customers in Kowloon and the New Territories rose 5.8 percent.