Results for Tonga Power Ltd

Tonga Power Ltd. announced its lowest electricity tariffs in 14 years, as diesel prices continue to drop during the CoViD-19 pandemic. A 16.4% reduction in the tariff will last for three months from 1 July 2020 unless otherwise reviewed.

A total powerstation blackout on Tongatapu for a few hours this morning, was caused by a temporary cooling system failure on the generators.

The price of electricity has increased starting today, 1 November, from $0.799 to $0.8316 per kWh, approved by the Electricity Commission. With the tarriff increase, Tonga Power Ltd. expects to recover $1.6 million over 12 months, to offset losses in fuel costs.

Tonga’s first large scale Battery Energy Storage System to be built at the Popua Power Station is expected to be operational in May 2020, contributing to Tonga’s 50% Renewable Energy target.

Tonga’s aim to reach 50% of renewable energy by 2020 is on track said Tonga Power Ltd CEO, Seti Chen. “The goal of renewable energy is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel (diesel),” he told Matangi Tonga, while they have seen growth in demand for power increasing more than they thought it would. He said one of the biggest misconceptions is people thinking their electricity bills will be reduced by 50% once the project is completed. “It’s not 50% off the tariff that will be reduced, it’s actually 50% off the diesel that we are displacing,” said Seti. By Eleanor Gee

US$29.9 million funding for the Tonga Renewable Energy Project (TREP) was approved by the Green Climate Fund during its 21st Board Meeting in Bahrain on October 17.

A 46-year-old man from Lapaha has been charged with drunk driving after crashing his vehicle into a high voltage power pole last night, September 6 causing a temporary power outage for all the Central Business District.

Ten power lines workers and two support staff from Australia have joined forces with Tonga Power Ltd staff to quickly restore power to homes and businesses on Tongatapu and ‘Eua. The extra help will ease the workload of Tonga Power staff who have been working tirelessly to get the electricity network up and running since Cyclone Gita struck last week.

In announcing a power increase of 2.84 seniti per unit (kWh) starting tomorrow April 1, Tonga Power Ltd. has offered a lifeline tariff reduction for their most vulnerable consumers due to the high power tariff of 85.86 seniti/kWh. The increase is attributed to diesel price movement.