The National Capital District (NCD), Governor Powers Parkop has suggested a more critical decision to be made on the issues with PNG Power Limited (PPL) and it’s poor performance in providing energy service to the people.
Governor Parkop, who commented on the parliamentary statement on the performance of the power company, indicated that his faith in the country’s only State owned power company, has been reduced over time due to its poor performance and management.
This has prompted him to say that it’s time to consider the final option, which is to sell.
He said this cannot continue any longer; the blackouts, huge amounts of debts owed to Independent Power Producers and electricity not reaching the rural areas despite the country going 48 years of independence, is just too much to endure much longer.
“Energy is essential to life as we know it. Businesses buy their own generators, fuel and the cost is passed on to everyone,” he said.
“This will hinder investment in the country by overseas based investors.”
The governor did acknowledged the government efforts to rescue the power company saying that the plan for the next 15 years to improve PNG Power is bold but the changes must take place sooner.
It is for this reason that the governor suggested that the government do a fire sale of PNG Power, selling parts of PPL where the State can get money from and service improved.
This means that the state could look at selling out the energy transformation function of PPL to someone else to provide service in transmission, and maybe leave the energy generation and other functions to PPL to do.