The Yangoru-Saussia District is set to partner with PNG Power Limited to completely remove blackouts.
Member for Yangoru-Saussia and Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru said he met with the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PNG Power Limited (PPL), Mr. Ivan Pekaea, and his team recently, to negotiate for Yangoru-Saussia District Development Authority (DDA) and PPL to be strategic partners to completely remove blackouts in Yangoru-Saussia.
Minister Maru said the initial phase of the project will cost K2.5 million where they will buy two generators and also look at staff housing and vehicles and the management of the project.
“We are also keen on the Phase 2 of the project which will be establishment of a solar farm,” he said.
He said Mr. Pekaea and his team will be traveling to Yangoru-Saussia in the coming weeks to inspect and agree on the proposed location for the power station and the solar farm in the future.
“After their visit we will sign a formal Memorandum of Agreement on the obligations on the part of PPL and obligations on the part of Yangoru-Saussia DDA, especially the funding and the operations of the power station.
We want PPL to manage the power station, operate it and run it for us, and to work with us to develop Phase 2 of the project because it is their core business and not ours,” he said.
Minister Maru said as far as they are concerned, their investment will generate a lot of income for PPL because there will no longer be blackouts and that income should be used to make sure they always have fuel for the standby generators and ensure that the power station will always provide electricity when the power supply from Wewak is not available.