Government to deliver electricity to 70 percent of Papua New Guineans by 2025

Thursday 20 August, 2020

The Government aims to deliver electricity to 70 percent of Papua New Guineans   by 2025, when the nation celebrates 50 years of being independent

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape made these remarks when he officially launched the National Energy Policy 2017-2027 at the Hilton Hotel  yesterday, 19 August.

“And whilst I note, National Electrification Roll Out Plan aims to deliver electricity to 70% of our people and country by 2030 and our Vision 2050 envisages electricity for all by 2050; My government aims to deliver electricity to 70% of our country by 2025.”

He commended the governments of   Australia, Japan, New Zealand and USA for their commitment to support during APEC 2018 in electrification of the country.

“I encourage them to buy into our development plan and we work together.”

Mr. Marape envisages a national and regional power grid that overlays with the country’s major highways and feeder power lines that run with provincial and district roads that exist and the new ones that are currently being built.

“In contemporary PNG, energy is key to unlock PNG from present state of under development to development, progress and well-being of our people.

“Amongst many forms of energy that are available for use and commercialization into the future, our present discussions centres on ELECTRICITY,” Prime Minister Marape said

He emphasised that electricity is a key enabler for economic and human development. And we have started that work already without waiting on anyone.

“Without cheap and reliable electricity, our country will not progress much. “Electricity and energy is key and in my life time I want to live to see all parts of our country having access to power whether you live in islands or mountains or valleys.

“By solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydro and domestic hydro carbon energy, which are all available in PNG, we can achieve our country’s desire for electricity so let’s get to work,” the Prime Minister urged everyone concerned.”

The Prime Minister commends and acknowledges the Minister for Petroleum Hon. Kerenga Kua leadership in making the policy become a reality.

He also thanked the Minister for National Planning Hon. Sam Basil for starting the work on the policy when he was the Minister for Communication and Energy. He urged the Department of Petroleum and Energy to ensure the Operationalization of this policy clearly augment the following: Reforms to the  present electricity regimes including PNG Power Ltd; Energy preferences in respect to cheap and clean energy; Creation of an authority that harness the use of energy resources; Unleash existing energy potentials at the earliest; example hydro, solar, gas; Embrace the role of private sector in complementing government in the energy sector; and  Have on grid and off grid solutions for our people.

Prime Minister Marape said partnership with districts and provinces plus the private sector and the  development partners is important for Papua New Guinea to achieve its goal.

He indicated that the reason why he is pushing hard with LNG developers like ExxonMobil in P’nyang is to secure cheap domestic gas to translate to low priced electricity for our country.

He thanked everyone and again urged them to work together to deliver cheap and reliable electricity to the country which is a key goal of the Marape Steven government.

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