Japan govt gives K15.6mil for work on hydropower station

THE Japanese government has provided a K15.6 million grant for work on the Rouna 3 hydropower station in Central.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Soroi Eoe thanked Japanese ambassador Nobuyuki Watanabe for the funding in Port Moresby on Friday.
Ambassador Watanabe said the K15.6 million grant was approved by the Japanese government in a recent cabinet meeting and was purposely for the procurement of electrical equipment to enhance power generation, particularly at the Rouna 3 hydropower station.
Eoe said the grant would contribute towards PNG Vision 2050’s target to reduce greenhouse emissions by 90 per cent and provide 100 per cent power generation from renewable energy sources by 2050.
It will also help to provide low cost generation for PNG Power to connect households under the PNG Electrification partnership and PNG development strategic plan to connect 70 per cent of the households by 2030.
Watanabe said in spite of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) induced economic showdown and revenue contraction, Japan would continue to provide assistance to PNG. In 2021, Japan provided assistance through a K1 billion direct budget support; a K34 million grant assistance in the areas of rural electricity; a grant assistance of K13 million for construction equipment to support infrastructure developments in West Sepik, Manus, Milne Bay and Enga; and now the grants for Rouna 3 and Tokua Airport.
Eoe assured Watanabe that the grant assistance would be implemented effectively and for their intended purposes.