Maru singles out regulation of electricity industry

By LUKE KAMA
NATIONAL Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru says a different body needs to regulate the electricity industry.
He said the cost of electricity in the country was among the highest in the world.
He gave K3.5 million yesterday to PNG Power Limited to install a transmission line from Popondetta to Girua Airport in Northern.
“I can say that the cost of electricity in Papua New Guinea is one of the highest in the world,” Maru said.
“And the challenge is how we, as a country, can make electricity cheap so that most of our people can have access to electricity, because it is sad that almost 80 per cent of our people are still without access to electricity.”
He challenged PNG Power to come up with strategic reforms which would use the rentable energy sectors.
“Producing electricity through generators using diesel is very expensive,” Maru said.
“We need to do away with that and move to renewable energy sources so that we can reduce the cost. That reduction can be passed onto the consumers to access cheaper electricity.”