PPL welcomes planned solar power plant

National

PNG Power Ltd (PPL) management has welcomed the planned solar power plant to be set up at the Raiven Plantation at the Bitapaka local level government in Kokopo district.
Speaking on behalf of PNG Power Ltd, transmission and distribution manager of the New Guinea Islands regional office in Kokopo, Peni Diave said the company would support the project.
Given PPL’s aging equipment and facilities, Diave said once the solar power farm got off the ground, PNG Power Ltd  would have the time to carry out full maintenance on the ailing infrastructure.
The current maximum power demand in the Gazelle Peninsula area is 10 megawatts, but with the solar power plant in place, it would be a great relief for PNG Power Ltd.
He said the Warangoi hydro plant was the main supplier of power but was affected in both dry and wet season.
Therefore, diesel generators at Ulagunan and CPL are being used to supplement what is produced at the hydro facility.
However, he said the generator sets were often overused as only one turbine was functioning at the hydro plant.
PNG Power Ltd  has plans to reticulate transmission lines and are awaiting an agreement signed between the parties in the solar power farm project.
The agreement was to be signed in Port Moresby yesterday.