Residents in Arawa town should start enjoying a more reliable access to electricity supply with the completion of renewable energy upgrades come 2025.
This includes the Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s first commercial-scale solar farm with battery storage.
These upgrades are part of a broader suite of the Australian support for provincial power stations across Papua New Guninea and include plans to upgrade Buka’s power station.
To mark the project’s half-way point, Australian High Commissioner To PNG, John Feakes, was taken on a tour by Autonomous Bougainville Government President, Ishmael Toroama to the power station
Feakes said Australia is committed to improving access to energy in Bougainville and is supporting the ABG’s economic development and energy goals.
“The solar panels installed are already providing power to Arawa. Once fully completed in 2025, this project will further improve power supply for local businesses and enhance many facets of people’s lives, including health and education, and increasing safety and security, especially for women and girls,” said Feakes.
The PGK18.8 million renewable energy upgrades in Arawa are being implemented in two stages.
The first stage is a small solar plant at PNG Power Limited’s (PPL) existing power station that, as of March this year, has begun supplying power in Arawa.
The second stage will deliver a larger solar farm with a battery energy storage system at a new site that PPL acquired in 2023 with assistance from the ABG.
Once completed, the upgrades will decrease running costs for PPL by reducing reliance on expensive diesel fuel and will cut carbon emissions by 1,800 tonnes of CO2e in the first year alone, allowing PPL to supply more reliable power to the people of Arawa.
“Australia looks forward to jointly launching the completed project with the Government of PNG and the ABG in March 2025,” Feakes said.
Recent: https://insidepng.com/new-community-hall-ioro-panguna-district/
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