Local firm helps address East Sepik’s energy issue

A LOCALLY owned company in East Sepik is taking up the challenge to address ongoing energy issues faced in the province.
Pacific Energy Support Ltd founder and managing director Timothy Koris said the company was now working on building a mini-hydropower system in Wewak to supplement the existing PNG Power supply.
According to project director Nigel Hulambia, the company was now well into its feasibility studies to determine the viability of the project as its independent power producer (IPP) proposal for nonrenewable energy concepts with PNG Power Ltd.
He said the Passam mini-hydro project initiated by the company in 2016 was targeted at signing a power purchase agreement with PNG Power to supply to the PNG Power grid once successful.
PNG Power Wewak branch manager Bustin Joseph said the current capacity provided by PNG Power to supply Wewak town and other surrounding areas was yet to meet the demand.
However, he said the additional load was expected in the province especially with, the implementation of PNG Powers rural electrification programme as well as increasing industrial activities that the province anticipated to unfold over the next five years.
Depending on the outcome of the studies, it was estimated at a cost of K15 million to complete the hydro power facility, aiming at generating 2.1MW of renewable and clean energy.
Koris said the company, despite taking the risk, believed that the project would be a breakthrough in the renewable energy sector for East Sepik.
He said the company had, so far, invested over K200,000 towards the initial stages of the feasibility studies with the installation of a remote monitoring station at Passam in Wewak, for hydrology testing and data collection in which water volume and flow rates would be remotely monitored by hydrology experts in Sydney for a period of nine months.
Pacific Energy Support Ltd, since its establishment in 2015, has been engaged in a number of rural electrification projects in East Sepik, including 5km HV line between Waikakum and Yangisako in Maprik.
The company was also responsible for the rehabilitation of the Moem Barracks power transformers in 2017 as well as other projects in Yangoru-Saussia.