Blacklock concerned with theft of electricity

By LUKE KAMA
MORE than 30 per cent of the electricity produced in Port Moresby is stolen or used through illegal means and that is unacceptable, says PNG Power Ltd acting managing director Carolyn Blacklock.
Blacklock said theft and illegal connections in urban centres were preventing people living in rural areas from accessing electricity and it was time citizens
became more responsible and played their part in the government’s overall vision to connect electricity to 70 per cent of the country by 2030.
“When you think of the challenges in PNG to connect 70 per cent of the population by 2030, it’s not possible for us to just fund ourselves,” she said
“That’s why, we ran to our donor partners during the Apec last year and raised significant amount of money from the US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and other countries to do 70 per cent electrification in PNG by 2030.
“So you can see how much money is required and we also need our urban folks, our urban communities to play their part.
“That’s one in every three people in Port Moresby do not pay for electricity,” Blacklock said referring to the theft of power.
“This means our rural people are disadvantaged and we’ve got to stop this culture.
“Unless the issue of electricity theft in urban areas are fixed, we are never going to maintain electricity business that can supply to our people.
“This is fact, so we must stop illegal connections.”
Blacklock said this year PPL would be making a real push to address theft in a smart way.