Photo credit: RNZ
Through the rural electrification on grid initiative, over 56,000 people in Rigo, particularly in Hula communities in the Central Province, now have access to power.
The project was successfully completed thanks to the New Zealand Government and PNG Power Limited.
The overall cost of this project, according to Rigo MP Lekwa Gure, is $9 million NZ dollars (K20 million), and it has now been finished and commissioned.
According to him, if they had to access this rural electrification project based on population, the K20 million investment would reach more than 50,000 individuals, or 23% of the district's population.
“I understand from PPL that currently we only have 60 per cent of the country that have access to electricity,” he said.
“What that means is we have to roll out rural electrification program by seven percent per annum in the next eight years in order to reach the final seven percent by the year 2030.
“With the completion of this Hula electrification project, Rigo Coast LLG is now complete except for Golobu and three villages of Keapara, Anukuni and Karawa. The project comes in three phases which are now completed.”
The commissioning, according to New Zealand High Commissioner Philip Taula, is a significant step forward for the local populations, as well as Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
Mr Taula stated that they are eager to collaborate closely in order to enhance prosperity, stability, transparency, and resilience in this country and around the Pacific.
“Key focus for New Zealand is to work with the Government of PNG and other partnering nations like Australia, United States of America and Japan in realigning to achieve the goal of delivering electrification to all Papua New Guineans by the year 2030,” he added.
The project, according to PPL, involves a line extension and residential connection to the main grid.
Reference: Tom, Patrick. Post-Courier (1 April 2022). “K20m Power Project Launched”.
