Biomass plant to provide Namatanai with power supply

NAMATANAI and surrounding villages are set to have power restored to their district after nearly 30 years.
This follows the recent ground breaking ceremony by Agriculture Minister Aiye Tambua and Namatanai MP and Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation Walter Schnaubelt at Megeh plantation 15-kilometres east of Namatanai town.
The ground breaking ceremony paves the way for the construction of a new biomass power plant.
Schnaubelt said the town had not had an adequate power supply for around 30 years but this would soon be addressed with the launch of the project.
“Namatanai town has been missing out on regular power supply for nearly 30 years and leaders before me have turned a blind eye on this essential service,” he said.
“This is going to change as we will now have sufficient power supply for the town and surrounding villages at an affordable rate through the biomass power plant.
“Apart from the biomass power plant, a hectare of the land at Megeh plantation will be dedicated to solar power generation.
“Solar power will generate roughly about one megawatt of electricity and biomass will generate nearly 750 kilowatts and that will be gradually increased to one megawatt of power.
“The boost for power to two megawatts is important so that we can bring in industrialisation and commercialisation to Namatanai,” Schnaubelt said.
He added that there were plans afoot for expand rural electrification in the second and third phases of the project after the commissioning of the biomass power plant.
Schnaubelt said the priority was to give Namatanai businesses enough power to continue serving the public at large.
“When the businesses are sustained, we will then go into electrification for nearby villages.”