NOVEMBER 22 2021
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape today opened the K83 million 10 Megawatt Warangoi PNG Power Ltd (PPL) Hydro Power Project Major Rehabilitation Project in rural Pomio, East New Britain, with an assurance to landowners that they would be paid the K5 million they wanted for use of their land and water.
He was accompanied by East New Britain Governor Hon. Nakikus Konga, Pomio MP Hon. Elias Kapavore, Health Minister and Gazelle MP Hon. Jelta Wong, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Hon. John Simon, Correctional Services Minister Hon. Win Daki, Kumul Consolidated Holdings Ltd Chairman Moses Maladina and Acting Managing-Director Prof. David Kavanamur, and PPL Acting Chief Executive Officer Obed Batia.
Rehabilitation of the project was made possible through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the GoPNG co-funded Town Electrification Investment Programme, with the contractors being Dongfang Electric Corp and AG Investments JV.
It will boost up the low production of Warongoi hydropower facility, which was originally commissioned in 1983, but has been supplying below its rated capacity of 10MW for the last 10 years into the Gazelle Grid.
PM Marape thanked local landowners for allowing electricity to flow to East New Britain for the last 39 years without demanding compensation.
“Power generation from here has produced so many economic benefits for East New Britain,” he said.
“To the people of Sinivit, to the people of Baining, your Government will not let you down (in the K5 million they asked for).”
PM Marape appealed to the landowners to organise themselves – like their counterparts at Yonki in Eastern Highlands and Rouna in Central – to benefit from the funds instead of just a few people benefitting.
He asked them to do this in preparation for the next phase of the project further up the Warangoi River.
PM Marape said this was part of the Pangu Pati’s flagship policy of creating “economic independence” for the people of PNG
PM Marape described East New Britain as “a very important part of our country” in the non-extractive industries such as agriculture, tourism, fisheries and sustainable forestry.
“In that context, we come to East New Britain not by accident, but by choice, because this is a very good foundation province to anchor our focus on rural-based industries like agriculture and downstream processing,” he said.
“All of this will depend on reliable power, reliable infrastructure and reliable Internet.”
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