By JASON SOM KAUT
WESTERN Highlands and Southern Highlands have no back-up power supply after landowners allegedly burnt down a pylon at the Paunda Power Station along the border on Monday night.
Areas affected include the Kutubu and Moro resource projects.
Lae, Madang and parts of the Highlands have already been experiencing power shedding after two of the generators at the Ramu hydropower station failed.
The six generators at Lae’s power station are producing only half of their capacity.
PNG Power staff had been working round the clock repair the Ramu generator and were expected to get it running again yesterday.
However, they discovered more problems last night.
Lae power station manager Alex Oa said the plan was to get some power from the Paunda station but the pylon was vandalised.
“The problems are now bigger,” he told The National.
He said they would not send workers to repair the pylon for safety reasons.
“Police presence is needed while PNG Power workers carry out maintenance,” he said.
Mt Hagen police could not be contacted for comments.