HM King Tupou VI switched on Tonga’s first wind farm, named Ii ‘o Manu Mataongo at Niutoua yesterday, 10 July.

The 1.375 megawatt wind farm named “Ii ‘o Manu Mataongo” powered by five wind turbines, was built under a $42 million pa’anga aid project, financed by the Japanese government.

Japanese companies took 10 months to construct the wind farm, and the Japanese Ambassador to Tonga, HE Mr Tetsuya Ishii, said it is the first wind power project to be constructed with Japanese grant aid in the world.

He  stressed that his government is “truly honored” that the wind farm project contributes to one of Tonga’s most important national strategies, the “Tonga Energy Road Map 2010-20”, which aims to get 50% of its power from renewable energy by 2020.

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) estimated that the wind farm will cut Tonga’s fuel imports by $1.5 million Pa’anga per annum.

The Chief Executive Officer for Tonga Power Ltd, Setitaia Chen, said that  Ii ‘o Manu Mataonga is one of three wind farm projects scheduled to be in place before the end of 2020, enabling Tonga to achieve its target of 50% renewable energy by 2020.

Two other projects on the way are a public/private partnership for the building of a 3.8MW and a 2.25MW wind farm to be funded with a grant from the Chinese Government.

Setita was confident that the 50% renewable goal set in 2010 was no longer a distant dream.

To celebrate the completion of the project in the Japanese way, a drum of saké was cracked open with hammers by representatives of the contractors, the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon Semisi Sika, HE Tetsuya Ishii and Dr Sitiveni Halapua, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Tonga Power Ltd.

Guests were reminded that they had to empty the drum of saké before they left the venue.