Talking on the importance of energy in the world, especially in Papua New Guinea, the Chairman for National Energy Authority (NEA), Joseph Gabut, stressed on the priority of the National Energy Authority as captured in their Nationwide Electrification Rollout Plan.
The chairman expressed that the plan is focussed on bringing Electricity to mainly people in the rural parts of Papua New Guinea.
He added that unfortunately, the authority’s request for funds to roll out this plan had been unsuccessful in the last five to six years, stressing that how can electricity be brought up to places like Waskuk, in the Sepik Province, without enough financial support.
He reasoned that if people living in Port Moresby are having issues with electricity access then the remote areas are in worse condition.
“We need smart technology solutions for the remotest areas of PNG to bring through power”, Gabut said.
Solar home systems, Stand-alone systems and mini-grids are some examples Gabut mentioned to bring power into the remote parts of the country.
“We cannot use PNG power standards to bring electricity into the remote areas, as people don’t have money to buy power”, Gabut stressed.
Gabut reinstated the UN Development goal 7, that states the aim of the world having access to electricity by 2050, encouraging that it is everyone’s obligation to see this through for the country.
The NEA Chairman said this in his presentation on Energy Security and Diversification during the National Research Institution Seminar held recently in Port Moresby.
