New power initiative pushing IPPs to front

Business

A new initiative called the IP3 Industry Group was launched in Port Moresby yesterday by a consortium of independent power producers (IPPs) to promote their collective interests in Papua New Guinea.
Representatives from the four founding IPPs – NiuPower, PNG Biomass, PNG Forest Products, and Posco Daewoo Power – came together to formally adopt the industry group’s charter. The newly elected chair of IP3, David Burbidge, said the initiative was born out of informal discussions between existing IPPs.
“We saw a need for a peak industry group to represent the interests of independent power producers in Papua New Guinea, promote the electrification of PNG and development of a sustainable energy industry to power PNG,” he said.
“We frequently hear calls for a clearer IPP application process, a need for better information about the energy sector in PNG to guide industry players in their decision to enter the energy generation market, and ways to break through uncertainty about the country’s latest policies, legislation, and regulatory developments in the power sector.
“We also aim to build a close relationship with the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission and support the Commissioner and chief executive officer Paulus Ain’s recent call for power generation companies and organisations to follow the legislation, sign power-purchase agreements with PNG Power Ltd, and comply with the requirements to obtain the required licences and permits.”