Oil Search aims to supply power to more people

 BY ERIC BALARIA

OIL Search Limited is working with the Government in introducing reliable power generation to more than a million people in Papua New Guinea.

Executive general manager strategy and commercial Matt Kay said the penetration of power into the country was between five and 15 per cent of the population – among the lowest globally.

Kay said there were a lot of challenges in the delivery of power in the country.

He said accessibility to power supplies was still an issue. 

And Oil Search, being one of the largest industry players in the country, was working with the Government to improve the situation by 2030.

“The bottom line is that power is not reaching the community in rural areas, especially the areas in which companies operate,” Kay said. 

“We think that is not sustainable and right.

“We don’t believe it is right for us to be sending LNG (liquefied natural gas) to countries in Asia and powering their lights when communities near our plants and in our areas don’t have access to power.

“The problem is compounded when we look at the issue of affordability. 

“In PNG, power is still a luxury item. 

“It is among the highest costs in the world.”

Kay said Oil Search had over the past five years delivered infrastructure projects worth more than K200 million.

Kay said some of the projects included the upgrading at Ramu Power and delivery of power to Tari from Hides.

The Markham Valley biomass project is expected to be delivered by 2019.