PNG Power’s infra some 20 years behind time

 News that matter in Papua New Guinea

 


PNG Power’s infra some 20 years behind time

 

PORT MORESBY: Reliable power supply is key to any country’s socio-economic growth.

It affects all consumers including businesses and factories, thus continuous and regular disruptions are inconvenient and costly to all and a country.

Therefore, it is incumbent on governments to ensure that power supply remains optimal in their country as this also affects investors’ decisions - both domestic and foreign.

It is therefore shocking and distressful that regular power outages in Papua New Guinea are caused by aging PNG Power Limited’s infrastructure that should have been replaced or upgraded some 20 years back.

For details of the power supply woes of PNG, PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below a news report published by The National:

Power setback

February 15, 2021The NationalMain Stories

 Article Views : 0

By CLARISSA MOI

STATE Enterprises Minister William Duma has stressed the urgency in replacing, rehabilitating and rebuilding PNG Power Limited’s aging infrastructure, which should have been done 20 years ago.
He told The National that the regular power outages had resulted from a lack of investment in PNG Power Ltd infrastructures over the years.
“Some of the infrastructure like the transmitters should have been replaced 20 years ago,” he said.
“They were not unfortunately.
“What you see now is not something that happened last night or overnight.
“This has taken us many years to get to where we are.
“So we asked PNG Power to relook at what the problem is and tell us what can be done.
“They’ve already briefed us.
“Mainly it’s to do with funding the replacement, rebuilding and rehabilitating most of the equipment that we have.
“We have a programme that have been (delayed) by the emergence of the Covid-19 as well as foreign exchange regulations and the availability of parts and new equipment.
“So these things will take a while.”
Duma said the Government was aware of the frequent power outages around the country and was working to address them.
PNG Power Ltd managing director Flagon Bekker said two weeks ago that the most pressing issue was the power poles and lines which must be repaired or replaced.
He said the workers knew what to do to address the power outages but the company needed funding to implement its plans in the short term.
He said in the long-term, funding required would run into “hundreds of millions of kina”.
“The problem is that we have old equipment,” he said.
“Our pressing problem is not the megawatts nor the power stations but the poles and wires.
“You can have all the power stations you want, but if the poles and wires do not work, it doesn’t matter.”
Duma said the Government was working on those issues now.
“We’ve already commenced the programme so over the next couple of months we will inform the public on what’s being done.
“And hopefully before the end of this year, you will see a great improvement in the provision of electricity to people in Port Moresby and other parts of the country.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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