Focus on water and electricity

THE Government is focused on transforming the state and enterprises sector, particular in the areas of water and electricity.
Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) managing director Prof David Kavanamur said these resources had now become the necessities of life throughout PNG’s urban settings.
He was speaking during the signing of a solar farm project agreement with the East New Britain government in Kokopo last Saturday.
“When I took over the running of KCH in 2020, I was tasked by the Government to transform the state and enterprises sector in the areas of water and power.
“That was the start of tireless efforts put into restoration power supplies out of the Port Moresby grid, Ramu grid and the Gazelle grid,” Kavanamur said.
Additionally, he said “we are exploring alternative arrangements and sources of energy for sea centres”.
Kavanamur said when the Warangoi hydro system was rehabilitated in 2021, “we were instructed to explore solar power for East New Britain and the rest of PNG”.
He also attributed the ongoing successes of such initiatives to the commitment and support by the Asian Development Bank.
He said bids for tenders would soon be called for the Wairiki solar project, which would be funded through a public-private partnership arrangement.
Experts had calculated the province’s electricity demand to be around 30 megawatts and “with the solar farm in place, we should constantly light up East New Britain using a sustainable source of energy”, he said.