Final decision on hydropower plant

A FINAL decision will be made next month regarding the 1,800 megawatt hydropower project which is to be set up on the Purari River in Gulf.
According to Tony Carbry, the chief operating officer of Western Power Ltd, a subsidiary of PNG Sustainable Development Program (PNGSDP), they were still going through the expression of interests process.
The hydropower project is an initiative of PNG Energy Developments Ltd which is a joint venture between PNGSDP and Origin Energy of Australia.
Carbry revealed that they had not made the decision regarding the consortia to undertake the feasibility studies but would do when everything is in place.
It is understood that PNG is taking a major step towards providing sustainable electricity
for large-scale industrial development in Gulf and Western, which would also benefit towns and
villages in remoter parts of the country.
If successful, this hydropower project would be the largest in PNG – many times bigger than Yonki in Eastern Highlands and Rouna in Central – and will be operational for more than 70 years.
The project is a significant step in making PNG self-sufficient in electric power and is consistent with the government’s plan to upgrade current hydroelectricity plants operated by PNG Power Ltd.