Tonga Power Ltd. estimates that it will cost at least $3 million pa'anga to rebuild the entire power distribution network in the Ha’apai islands after Cyclone Ian destroyed over 90 percent of the power lines and poles when it hit on Saturday, January 11.

Steven ‘Esau Tonga Power’s Acting CEO said today the cyclone had destroyed the power lines and snapped and knocked over many power poles.

Six teams of linesmen are now working on the island to rebuild the high-voltage lines located on the main roads, while another team is working to rebuild the low-voltage line that connects to the service lines to homes.

"We have to rebuild the whole power network because Cyclone Ian destroyed over 90-percent of the power lines and poles, which will cost us around $3 million pa’anga to rebuild," said Steven.

Tonga Power needed assistance, since the power lines and poles were not able to be insured, he said. “Tonga is ranked third in areas with high risk to cyclones and we were not able to find an insurer for them. We have insured our transformers and fuses but the power lines and poles weren’t insured.”

Steven said their generators are fine, but a lot of trees were uprooted by the cyclone and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Defence had helped to cleared the trees on the roads. “The biggest problem are the trees that have fallen at homes, but once people help to clear it, then we can work quickly,” he said.

In the meantime, the HV line was up and running to the Water Board and Niu'ui Hospital powered by a generator yesterday, January 14.

Tonga Power Ltd. has around 1,000 power consumers in Ha'apai.