Landowners ‘will pay for electricity’

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday November 6th, 2013

 LANDOWNERS of Arona Valley, in Eastern Highlands, will have to pay for electricity just like everybody else in the country, PNG Power chief executive John Tangit says.

He was replying to claims by Arona Valley Development Authority chairman Rodney Marato that many villages in the valley did not have any power despite being right next door to PNG Power’s Yonki hydro-power project.

“Like any other citizen of this country, if you want electricity, you have got to pay for it,” Tangit said.

“The low voltage line is already right next to their villages. What have they done with all the money that PNG Power has given them? I’m challenging the chairman of Arona Valley to meet me and my management. Or I can go up there if he invites me.”

Marato had said power lines did not reach all surrounding villages.

“There is power going into some selected areas but the majority of Arona Valley doesn’t have power,” he said.

“This is part of the original commitment by the company. We have talked about this over and over again.

“PNG Power says it will put power but nothing has happened.

“Around the lake at Yonki, only a small number of people have power but the majority doesn’t.” 

Arona Valley stretches from the top of Kassam Pass along the Highlands Highway to the hills overlooking Yonki.