Two agreements signed with Israel, chairman says

 PNG Power Ltd, under fire for its globe trotting directors and management, says it signed two agreements with Israel last month.

PNG Power chairman Joshua Bakirie said in a statement yesterday it was a small but significant event on the itinerary of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on Oct 17. 

Bakirie and Yiftah Ron Tal, chairman of the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), signed two memoranda of understanding witnessed by O’Neill, Defence Minister Fabian Pok, Agriculture Minister Tommy Tomscoll and Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato.

Bakirie said the board was setting new strategies to increase the reliability and availability of power to its customers. 

He explained in the statement how this understanding with Israel would go a long way to realising these objectives.  

“PPL is looking at knowledge and technology transfer from IEC in the fields of electricity generation, transmission and distribution and fibre optics over power line technology,” he said. 

He said Tal had stated that the IEC was the sole integrated electricity utility in Israel and like PPL, it was 99.95% owned by the State.  

“It looks forward to realising the MOU with PPL over the three-year period and is excited about the opportunity to assist PNG through PPL. 

“The two MOUs cover knowledge and technology transfer in electricity and fibre optics over powerline.  

“PNG Power has a NICTA licence to provide network services over its powerline infrastructure around the country.”