New PNG Power chairman focuses on saving ‘sinking ship’

By LUKE KAMA
THE new chairman of PNG Power Limited (PPL) Peter Nupiri, pictured, has likened the State-owned company to a “sinking ship” which needs to be rescued before it sinks completely.
Nupiri was sworn in yesterday with new board members Maureen Boniepe Mori and cting managing director Carolyn Blacklock.
He said there had been many changes to the board and executive management and one should question why that was so.
“That is an important question that we all need to ponder and find answers to,” he said.
He said something was not right in the organisation.
“So obviously we got a lot of work to do and one of the (priorities) is the aging infrastructures that we have,” he said.
Nupiri said machines were not performing to capacity.
“We are running hydros that are below capacity and this is unacceptable.
“I also believe we got issues with our transmissions and distribution system.
“I also strongly believe that PPL is running hand-to-mouth at the moment and that is unacceptable.
“Hand-to-mouth meaning money coming in is spent on operating expenses and we have nothing to invest and do preventive maintenance.”
Nupiri said such practice was unacceptable and must be fixed.
“We need to get up and go because in a nutshell, from the way I see, PNG Power Ltd is a sinking ship.
“If we continue the trend that we are going, we will sink before we know it.”
Nupiri said a new corporate strategy needed to be put in place on how the firm should operate.
“We need to also look at our current business model to see what we can do to improve. We need to look at information technology and the digital world as to how we can improve our business,” he said.
“We are in a different world now and we need to step up our business to be able to cope up with the change in the dynamics of running businesses in the country and around the world.”