More than 30 registered electrical contractors are attending an electrical safety and compliance workshop in Nuku’alofa this week, as Tonga rebuilds after Tropical Cyclone Harold and also installs new life saving equipment for the Health sector.

The two days of training aims to avoid deaths by electrocution and to refresh contractors’ knowledge and provide new skills to ensure a reliable, safe, clean and affordable supply of energy is provided.

In Tonga there were three deaths by electrocution in 2017, one death in 2018 and a recent fatality on 14 March 2020 at Mataika, Tongatapu.

Casualties and injuries can be caused by non-observance of the safety standards and guidelines outlined in the by-laws, due to the rapid growth in the energy sector.

The Commissioner of the Tonga Electricity Commission (TEC) Soane Vahe told contractors that the rebuilding of tourism premises destroyed in the cyclone, will involve new power connections and wirings, which they will work on in compliance with the law to make sure it is absolutely safe.

“Furthermore, the health services in the kingdom are relying on you as registered electrical contractors to ensure that their life saving equipment is functioning where ever and whenever they are needed.”

The Pacific Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) Program Delivery Officer, Jesse Benjamin said the Pacific Community was pleased to jointly conduct this workshop with TEC.

“As a regional technical agency, we are pleased to be able to immediately respond to the needs of our members to quickly recover and to improve their preparedness to save the lives of its people.”

The Electricity Commission was established through the Electricity Act of 2007.  Its functions include the licensing of electricians and establishing standards for electrical safety. The Commission is also tasked to enforce actions under this Act or any regulations made under the Act.

The PCREEE is a regional vehicle to accelerate the uptake of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies in the Pacific Islands and is co-hosted by the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Tonga Government in Nuku’alofa, Tonga.

The workshop is a collaboration between SPC, UNIDO, SIDS Dock, the Government of Tonga and the Governments of Austria and Norway.