A training series on Power Purchase Agreements for Pacific Energy Regulators Alliance was launched by the Asian Development Bank on April 14. The virtual training program is the first of its kind for the Pacific Islands.

The Asian Development Bank stated it is part of an effort to promote modern regulation of energy utilities in the Pacific “through capacity-building, exchanging knowledge and skills and leveraging Pacific countries’ limited resources to address common challenges.

“The training provides participants with the tools necessary to procure energy through long-term Power Purchase Agreement PPAs, with a focus on procuring renewable energy.”

Participants in the six two-hour virtual training sessions until April 23 are located in Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.

Tonga Electricity Commission

Kilisimasi Ma’asi, the Acting CEO for the Tonga Electricity Commission (TEC), said that the virtual training is part of an ADB’s intention for the Pacific Islands to establish a Pacific Energy Regulators Alliance that it had initiated in 2017.

The TEC participants are Kilisimasi, with Kaufana Valita, Deputy Technical Manager, and Malia Misifane, Assistant Accountant.

The Tonga electricity Commission is responsible for setting the cost of electricity that is consumed by the Tongan public.

Kilisimasi explained that one of the difficulties that they are facing is negotiating for the cost of their electricity, taking into consideration their needs and what the public can afford.

In early 2000 government came out with Tonga’s Energy Road Map TERM 2010-2020 for Tonga to have 50% of its electric power from renewable energy  sources by 2020.

However, early this year 2021, the chairman of the government Joint Utilities Board, Dr ‘Aisake Eke reported to government on the status of Tonga’s Energy Road Map 2010-2020 that six solar power projects had been completed in Tongatapu, Vava’u, Ha’apai and ‘Eua.

The remaining three solar projects that were due to be completed in 2020 were delayed and only one of the three wind farm projects the were scheduled to be in place before the end of 2020 had been completed.

However, Dr Eke remained optimistic that Tonga Power Ltd would be able to achieve its objective for Tonga to have 50% of its electricity need from renewable sources by late 2021 or mind 2022.

The ADB Virtual Training program includes the Renewable Energy Development Division, Cook Islands; the Ponapei Commission and Department of Resources and Development from the Federated States of Micronesia; the Fijian Competition & Consumer Commission; the Nauru Utilities Corporation and Department of Climate Change and National Resilience; the Palau Public Utilities Corporation and Palau Energy Administration; the Papua New Guinea Independent Consumer and Competition Commission and PNG Power; the Samoa Office of the Regulator; the Secretariat of the Pacific Community; the Solomon Islands Electricity Authority and Ministry of Mines, Energy, and Rural Electrification; the Tonga Electricity Commission; and the Vanuatu Utilities Regulatory Authority.