PNG Power has commenced work to restore faulty generators at the Boram Power Station in Wewak. A technical team from Port Moresby arrived in Wewak on Wednesday, August 2, and commenced work on the faulty generators. Heavy load shedding has been undertaken on the Wewak grid due to only two (machines) in operation, while the other three generating units have been offline due to mechanical faults and parts replacement.
The reform and rationalisation of PNG Power Ltd is continuing, with the announcement today of three executive positions in the company’s streamlined management structure. They are Mr Mark Greenaway, Chief Technical Officer and Dr Nigel Booker, Chief Commercial Officer. They have been appointed after an independent international search. After serving as the Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Peter Mell has been reassigned to the Chief Financial Officer role.
Today, PNG Power Ltd commenced the Meter Boxing project in Port Moresby to combat power theft. This simple and very effective initiative is aimed at curbing power theft and enhancing revenue generation and has yielded solid results, with a 12% increase in revenue over the last six months in Port Moresby. This exercise is aimed at recovering power losses through theft and improving financial sustainability for our company. The implementation of the Meter Boxing Project marks a pivotal milestone in our ongoing endeavours to address power theft, a persistent challenge that has long impacted our company's revenue collection and financial performance.
PNG Power Limited (PPL) is pleased to announce the recommissioning of the Moitaka Power Station. The Moitaka Power Station was established in 1980 and has been a reliable source of electricity in Port Moresby for several decades until it was decommissioned in 2019 after several Independent Power Producers (IPP) were introduced into the Port Moresby Grid. Initially, the Moitaka Power Station had a station output of 16 Megawatts (MW) from two Hitachi Zosen Z40 Diesel Engines (Unit 1 & 2).
PNG Power acknowledges the recent media release from the Independent Power Producers (IPP) group regarding the state of power supply infrastructure and reliability in the country and payments owed to the IPPs. However, PNG Power wants to ensure that the efforts put into its recovery from its Government shareholder, Kumul Consolidated Holdings, are also clearly understood. Although perhaps not immediately obvious, PPL is taking serious steps to address the issues it is currently experiencing.
PNG Power and Puma Energy have come to a mutual understanding that will ensure power supply is restored in most of its centres who rely on diesel fuel to run its power stations. Puma reached out to the PNG Power management to resolve the issue despite the large amount of outstanding payments due from PPL. Puma has agreed on an exceptional basis to release further fuel supply to PNG Power starting today and for the rest of the week.
The Vanimo Power Station is intact and will resume supply of electricity to consumers and the general public in Vanimo and surrounding villages this afternoon. PNG Power Chief Executive Officer, Obed Batia denied a report by NBC News on its Facebook page claiming that the Vanimo Power Station caught fire this morning and destroyed all its generators, disrupting power supply in the township. The news report is misleading and not true.
The Port Moresby Grid experienced at total system outage at 3.43am this morning due to faults located on our transmission line at the Kanudi Power Station. While our teams immediately undertook restoration work, the system experienced a second outage at 5.57am. PNG Power begun the second restoration work at 6.00am and eventually power supply was restored to all our Port Moresby substations at Bomana, Waigani, Boroko, Konedobu and Kanudi. By 8.30am, the system was fully restored.
On Wednesday 30 March, the New Zealand High Commissioner, Phillip Taula, and PNG Power Management accompanied by the Member for Rigo, Hon. Lekwa Gure and representatives from the PNG Electrification Partnership, visited Hula to commission the recently completed Hula section of the New Zealand-funded Rural On-Grid Extension Project in Central Province. The project was implemented by PNG Power under the PNG Electrification Partnership.Beginning in 2016, the K40 million Rural On-Grid Extension Project extends the Port Moresby Grid into Central Province, delivering new electricity connections across four project sites covering Bisiatabu to Owers Corner, Sabusa to Brown River Station and Tubuseria to Kwikila, and in 2018 the project scope was extended to include Hula.
Power supply from the Ramu Hydropower Station into Kundiawa, Minj, Banz, Mt Hagen, Ialibu, Mendi and Wabag was fully restored by 2.30pm this afternoon. Restoration time took longer than expected due to bad weather conditions and challenges on site however the team managed to ensure power supply was fully restored after 7 days. Tower 101 at Dumum Village in Chimbu Province was brought down to the ground by fallen trees intentionally chopped down by locals.
