Official: Revamping PPL will cost future generations

FUTURE generations of Papua New Guineans will have to meet the cost that the Government will take out to rehabilitate PNG Power Ltd (PPL), a union official says.
PNG Energy Workers Association (PNGEWA) general-secretary Santee Margis said this in response to calls for the Government to pay millions of kina to rehabilitate aging infrastructure by managing director Flagon Bekker.
He said Bekker needed to be talking about practical and cost effective ways to reform the State-owned entity.
Margis said the Government had brought Bekker to do something about the poor state of PPL, but he had done little after being in the position for five months.
“When previous national chief executives asked for tariff increases, the prime ministers rejected it so he should not be using a tariff to make his name,” he said.
“Why should Bekker be calling out for big money to rehabilitate PPL because that money will have to be repaid by Papua New Guineans.
“I know of three CEOs who asked for an increase in tariffs and they were knocked back.
“There is no need to look for money because the repayment will be an expense for Papua New Guineans.”
Margis said PNGEWA had written to Prime Minister James Marape to investigate the Independent Power Producers (IPP) and the Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) but he had been quiet.