Hela receives 1.5 mw solar power station gift from China government

Hela Governor Philip Undialu has expressed gratitude to the Government of the People’s Republic of China and His Excellency Ambassador Yang Xiaoguang for gifting a 1.5-megawatt solar power station to Hela province on Sunday.

The new facility, located at Hope Institute in Tari, was officially launched in a ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister James Marape and Komo-Hulia MP Daniel Tindipu.

Governor Undialu says the project will drive to secure reliable and sustainable electricity for education, health, business and other essential services.

“Tari township has traditionally received only four to six hours of electricity daily from PNG Power. Hela has supplied power to Porgera since 1992 and contributed to global energy supplies through PNG LNG since 2014, yet our own people have continued to experience unreliable electricity. Today, we are changing that reality,” Governor Undialu said.

He said the new 1.5MW solar station at Hope Institute adds to other power initiatives in the province, including a 1MW solar project at Yangome funded by the Provincial Government with support from the National Government through Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH), and 2MW gas-fired power stations built by ExxonMobil.

The Governor also announced plans for a major expansion, revealing a proposal for a new 15MW solar power project and welcoming Chinese investment and partnership to make it a reality.

“China is a major consumer of LNG, of which 86 percent comes from Hela. I therefore welcome the Chinese Government and investors to partner with us in future solar and hydroelectricity projects to offset carbon emissions, expand clean energy, create economic opportunities and improve services for our people,” he said.

He said access to reliable 24-hour power will enable Hope Institute to expand its educational programs and services.

He further announced that the Hela Provincial Government has made a submission to the State, through PNG Power Limited, to take over Hela operations under the Government’s plan to sell off B and C-Centres. Once that process is completed, he said, the Provincial Government is committed to working towards reducing electricity tariffs by 50 percent.

Governor Undialu called on local communities to take ownership and protect the new solar facility so that it continues to benefit current and future generations.

“Our vision is a Hela where our schools, hospitals and businesses have cheap, reliable electricity, and our people enjoy the benefits of our resources,” Governor Undialu said.