Chinese firm offers free hyrdo study

 By PHILIP KEPSON

A CHINESE construction company is undertaking a feasibility study for a new hydro power station for Wabag in Enga – free of charge.

Enga provincial administrator Dr Samson Amean said the Guangdong Foreign Construction Company of China had offered to undertake a feasibility study at their own cost to build the hydro scheme at Lomane, or Yau falls, near Wabag town.

He said the company’s offer to address the problem of repeated blackouts in Wabag town where most government services were centred was welcome as it had been a major concern for the provincial government and people.

Governor Peter Ipatas said his government did not have any funds for the project but he would seek help from sources, including the National Government.

Ipatas said the hydro project was particularly important as it would boost power supply to institutions such as the proposed Enga provincial hospital, Enga teachers college, Enga college of nursing, Hela-Opene technical college and Wabag town itself.

“We will inevitably need adequate power supply to ensure that services are not interrupted by shortage of electricity in these big government institutions that we plan to build,” Ipatas said.

Company executive Zhao Guanghua, who led an eight-man tour to the proposed hydro site, said his company could deliver the project that would supply between six and twelve megawatts of electricity within a year.

He said he would send engineers for the feasibility study, including cost estimates, to finalise negotiations with the Enga provincial government before the end of this year.

“If everything goes right, we plan to build the hydro next year and deliver it in the same year,” Guanghua said.