The Tsak Valley Local Level Government in Enga Province will become the first ward in the country to benefit from a New Zealand government spearheaded multimillion kina rural electrification program.
This is the outcome of the signing of the Papua New Guinea Electrification Partnership in November 2018 by PNG, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States.
Under the agreement, the New Zealand government was nominated to implement the program.
New Zealand High Commissioner to PNG, Phillip Taula, during a three day visit to Enga, told residents that Tsak Valley LLG was selected to pilot the program, with the initial connection of 5,100 households starting 2021.
Taula was taken on an aerial tour on October 28th by Governor Sir Peter Ipatas to see where the program would begin, including new hydro construction sites.
Sir Peter said with the recent Enga Provincial Government funded power line connection from Mukuramanda road junction in Wapenamanda to Tsak Valley, and having his administration sign an MOU with PowerChina PNG Ltd earlier this month to build a 19 megawatt hydro at Pilikambi in Laiagam district, it was hoped that the program would be implemented without much problem.
The option of building another hydro in Tsak Valley to further boost power in future was also highlighted to the people during Taula’s visit.
Taula stated that the program will spread to other areas in Enga and PNG after Tsak Valley.
(New Zealand High Commissioner to PNG, Phillip Taula, being welcomed at the Kumul Checkpoint on Monday October 26th)
