Electricity from Indonesia

 By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK

PNG Power acting chief executive officer John Yanis said yesterday that the company was on track to bring electricity from Indonesia into West Sepik.

“The electricity is now at the border (Wutung border administration complex). It is now up to us to bring it over,” Yanis said.

“We have already arranged with a bank and the bank will fund it. But we need to get the clarity on the tariff before we talk to the bank. 

“I’m hoping that in the next couple of months we should start to formalise the agreement.

“Since we are dealing with another country, foreign relationship needs to be in place. It is a government to government arrangement and every diplomatic arrangement needs to be in place.”

He said that he was now organising a trip to meet with relevant Indonesian counterparts to discuss how much they would pay for the electricity. 

“I have advised the Department of State Enterprises last Friday that I need all the correspondences of agreements that both governments made regarding this power sharing arrangement,” he said.

Earlier on, Vanimo based Indonesian consular Elmar Iwan Lubis said they  looked forward for PNG Power Limited to resume discussions with PLN (the Indonesia power supply company) so that the power supply from the Indonesian to Vanimo could be realised. 

“The 2 Megawatt power supply generated from diesel power plants in Waena and Yarmokh in Papua province was  now awaiting PNG Power Limited to link up to  continue the supply to Vanimo town in West Sepik province,” he said.

“Apart from the two power plants, another power plant at Holtekampp in Jayapura city is also intending to supply power along the border by this year.”

Lubis said that electricity was now at the border and that indicated friendship and relationship between the two countries.