31st Pacific Power Association Conference opens in Tonga [1]
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 - 19:49. Updated on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 - 19:52.
By Tupou Vaipulu Jr
The opening of the 31st Annual Pacific Power Association (PPA) Conference and Trade Exhibition attracted over 200 people from across the Pacific, to the gathering at the Falemasiva Hall at Havelu in Tonga today, 1 October 2024.
The event saw up to 250 electric, utility and energy professionals from different parts of the Pacific gathered to share knowledge, discuss critical issues and create collaborations within the energy sector.
Tonga Power Limited (TPL), a member of the Pacific Power Association, is hosting the PPA Conference in Tonga for the second time.
TPL Acting CEO, Mr. Finau Moa, said that the PPA Conference is a vital platform for sharing knowledge and building partnerships, “that will ultimately benefit our communities and the environment.”
Women in Power
A ‘Baseline Report on Women’s Employment in the Pacific Power Sector’ was launched by the PPA and World Bank at the Conference today.
The Program was endorsed by Pacific Energy Ministers in May 2023 at the 5th Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Minister’s Meeting held in Port Vila, Vanuatu. The development objective is to enhance women’s employment across various Pacific Island energy institutions to build a strong energy sector with a diverse workforce.
The report highlighted the challenges of increasing women’s participation in the energy/power sector.
Mr. Moa affirmed TPL’s commitment to addressing gender gaps.
“A gender-balanced workforce makes business sense, and we look forward to addressing the opportunities identified in the survey,” Mr. Moa said.
“We are grateful for this opportunity and also wish other participating government departments and utilities the best in their efforts towards a brighter, more inclusive future for our Pacific energy sector.”
The report provides a roadmap for increasing gender diversity in the Pacific energy sector, offering tangible steps for governments and utilities to enhance women’s participation and leadership.
Pacific Women in Power was implemented by the Social Inclusion and Energy Global Practices of The World Bank in partnership with the PPA and in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC).
The program is funded by the Canada-World Bank Clean Energy and Forest Climate Facility under the World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP).