Businesses call for action

By ZARA KANU LEBO
MILNE Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Jeffrey Abel is calling on leaders to address the ongoing power issues in Alotau.
The chamber has organised an open forum for April 30 at the Masurina Lodge, and sent invitations to the province’s Members of Parliament, business representatives and stakeholders to attend.
The aim is to address the power outage issue and to discuss the possible replacement of generators that have broken down at the power house which is the power provider for the provincial capital.
Abel said there had been consistent and prolonged power outages over the last six months but the problem had been an ongoing issue for more than a year.
He said Alotau’s power generating facility had gone from having six working generators to two which needed constant maintenance.
“We have had several meetings with the provincial government and were advised that there is a cash flow crisis but we need those generators replaced now to keep the town going,” Abel said.
He said the cost of the purchasing and installing six new generators would be about K3 million.
“Capacity wise, the six gen sets provide six megawatts and we are looking at an additional solar gen set which should provide an additional megawatt of power.”
Abel said it would be practical and cost effective to replace the town’s generators instead of servicing and fixing the existing ones.
Owner of Yumi Yet lodge in Alotau, Eka Lama, was critical of PNG Power Limited, the national power provider, for its inability to ensure consistent and reliable power in the provincial headquarters.
He called on the Government and PPL to help resolve Alotau’s power supply issues as a matter of urgency.
Lama said his businesses and others were spending large amounts on day-to-day operations mainly through fuel for their back-up generators.
Milne Bay Governor Gordon Wesley said his administration had been in consultation with the Government to address the issue but said “remember, these things don’t just happen overnight”.
“We have written to our open members and concerned ministers including State Enterprises Minister William Duma who purchased a generator which is being shipped from China and should be here in eight weeks,” Wesley said.
“It is only one generator but it can be used and we can use the parts from the others to repair the two being used at the moment, just as an alternative to maintain power flow.”
Wesley said the state of the Alotau powerhouse and its equipment was a legacy issue and as the province’s head he and its other leaders were working to address the power supply issue and would engage with businesses and stakeholders at the forum.
Attempts to speak to the PNG Power Southern region coordinator Leo Savingu were unsuccessful.