Highlands region without power

The landowner issues in the Highlands region have restricted PNG Power personnel to attend to faulty power problems.

This has resulted in some parts of the Highlands provinces still without power since Saturday afternoon  (Jan 30).

PNG Power told Loop PNG this morning that their technicians are still working around the clock to solve the problem.

This was due to a tree branch falling onto the Ramu/Goroka main 66 kV line during heavy rains.

The incident occurred between the towers 170 and 171 at Masumave, near Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province.

In a statement, PNG Power said the fault isolated the Highlands power supply forcing some part of the Highlands region to experience total outage while the Pauanda min-hydro power station on the border of Western Highlands and Southern Highlands supplemented the other townships.

PNG Power Ltd personnel attended to the fault on Sunday to restore power supply but were refused access by landowners.

The landowners are demanding payment before the areas is accessed.

Pauanda is currently supplying Ialibu, Mendi and parts of Mt Hagen while Kundiawa, Kerowagi, Kudjib, Wabag and parts of Mt Hagen remained out of power.

Wabag town is currently running on diesel power station while Kainantu is getting supply from Yonki.

Power supply into the Highlands region is now totally affected and PPL is in negotiations with the landowners to sort out their demands and ensure normal power supply is restored to the Highlands Region.

Author: 
Freddy Mou