PPL gets K60mil for infrastructure upgrades, repairs

PNG Power Ltd chairman Peter Nupiri says work is underway to upgrade and repair infrastructure through an Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding of K60 million.
During the commissioning of the Dirio Gas and Power Company last Thursday, Nupiri said power generation for the Port Moresby grid was okay but transmission was one of the issues they faced.
“We started to do some work now,” he said.
“Through ADB, there is a K60 million funding.
“Some studies are going on at the moment with the grids to understand how best we can improve.
“In terms of power generation, in Port Moresby we are okay.
“But we have to work on power transmission and other issues that we have.
“We haven’t been able to invest enough money to upgrade and repair our existing infrastructure.
“That’s our biggest challenge in the Port Moresby grid.
“Once we get that completed, we can get some work happening.”
Nupiri said PPL’s other biggest challenge was funding.
“We were not able to internally invest in the business, but that is among other issues that we have,” he said.
While commenting on Dirio coming online, Nupiri said it was going to be a big task to light up the city as they still needed to look at how best they could sell the rest of the power supply.
He noted that few years ago, PNG Power had embarked on fuel switch from the high cost fuel diesel to gas in the interim, and in the long-term, the smaller hydro would be able to share the risk and the wealth.
“That’s our strategy, so with the commissioning of this gas power plant, fits into that plan,” he said.