No power in SHP

THE whole of Southern Highlands province has been without electricity supply for a month because power posts were chopped down by disgruntled landowners.
The landowners in Kirene in the Imbonggu district destroyed the posts along the 30km road after their demand for land compensation under the Highlands Highway rehabilitation programme was not met.
Business houses, hospital and other organisation are now using their standby generators.
According to a source who requested anonymity, the public servants in the Agiru Centre had to close their doors at noon daily because the generator supporting them operated from 7am to noon.
“Since nothing can be done without electricity, public servants in the town’s seven-storey icon end business hours early daily.
“This has also been affecting businesses, hospital, construction companies and many other organisations and the people,” the source said.
He said the relevant authorities need to step in to address the power problem.
“With the liquefied natural gas (LNG) project set to start, the province would have to resolve this problem or development could be hampered.
“Such issues should have been promptly addressed by those in authority to keep the Hela region and the Southern Highlands up and running,” the source said.
A source from PNG Power confirmed this and said they had already given notice to those in authority to help resolve the issue so that electricity could be restored.