An NZD$30.7 million upgrade to the power distribution network in 55 Tongatapu villages has connected hundreds of households to electricity for the first time and upgraded the connections for thousands more.

Funded by New Zealand under the Tonga Village Network Upgrade Project, concluded on September 5, three months ahead of schedule.

The New Zealand High Commissioner H.E. Tiffany Babington and the Minister of Meteorology (MEIDECC) Hon. Poasi Tei , marked the conclusion of the project on September 5.

The aim of the network upgrade, which started in 2011, was to provide a modern and resilient electricity network, which would deliver reliable and safe electricity to households in rural Tongatapu.

This goal was successfully achieved with 55 villages benefiting after network faults decreased significantly. Of the 11,450-upgraded connections, over 2,500 connections were to households with no previous access to electricity.

The upgraded network also proved more resilience to extreme weather conditions, following Cyclone Gita earlier this year, with less damage to distribution in villages upgraded. Tupou College was the last to receive benefits from the upgrade in rural Tongatapu.

Meanwhile, the Tongan Government also benefited through increased network efficiency, reduced diesel consumption and the associated reduction in the cost of diesel imports.

The Tonga Village Network Upgrade Project is the largest component of New Zealand's development assistance to Tonga and its biggest investment in Tonga’s energy sector and in the Pacific.

New Zealand said it would continue to support reducing Tonga's reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate the impacts of climate change through an NZ$11 million agreement with the Government of Tonga for the first phase of the Nuku’alofa Network Upgrade Project.