News and Public Notices

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville is part of the Australian-funded Solar Project under its Economic and Social Infrastructure Program (ESIP). 

ABG President Hon. Ishmael Toroama and Australian High Commissioner to PNG H.E John Feakes visited the project site in Arawa Town yesterday following the completion of Stage One of the Project.

Under the ESIP, the Arawa upgrade will be implemented in two stages; the first stage includes upgrading the control system and infrastructure at the existing power station and adding up to 335kWp (kilowatt peak) of solar generation.

Stage one of the upgrade will create an offset in diesel required by approximately seven percent and it will lay the foundation for further renewable generation and storage capacity to be added in stage two. Following the completion of stages one and two, an estimated 30% reduction in diesel fuel consumption is expected in the first year.

The completion of the first stage has seen improvements in the infrastructure in terms of the solar panels being set up within the premises, upgrading of control systems to monitor power flow and improving provision of power supply to Arawa residents.

The Australian High Commissioner to PNG His Excellency John Feakes in a brief meeting with ABG President Honourable Ishmael Toroama at the Arawa Solar Project site yesterday, stressed the importance of power for any economy, and that the Australian government will continue to ensure that the funding support is made available to complete all stages of the project.

“The first stage of the solar project is completed, and we are happy to tell you we have funding for the second stage so that will go ahead. We all know how important power is for any economy but for Bougainville economy and Arawa economy, you will see a major difference when the second phase is completed,” he said.

He added that once completed, the project will have a positive impact for business, health, and education sectors.

With assistance from the Autonomous Bougainville Government in June 2023, PNG Power Limited acquired additional land on which further generation for stage two could be developed. Stage two will involve approximately 1MW of additional solar generation and battery energy storage system.

Mr. Feakes further acknowledged the Autonomous Bougainville Government for providing land for projects to be implemented.

“We love doing business with the ABG because you help us give land, that makes these projects viable for us and doing business with your administration is very easy, so these projects are going ahead,” he said. He thanked the President and his government and administration for assisting to get these projects in place.

The Solar Project is one out of nine that the Australian Government is supporting across the country, and the Arawa Project is the first off the ground. The same project has been halted in other provinces due to land issues.

President Toroama did acknowledge that he was approached by PPL management in 2023 to acquire land after having faced difficulties and noted that significant progress had been made since then.

“Without everyone’s consent, there won’t be any positive outcomes, especially to establish PPL in Arawa, but I saw it as an opportunity and since its establishment we have come a long way,” he said.

President Toroama said that they have come a long way especially with the arrangement and partnership with Australia with helping to build all these infrastructures, and further called on the traditional landowners to use such opportunities to harness a brighter future for Bougainville.

“In harnessing these opportunities, we are looking forward to setting a brighter future for Bougainville through all sectors of development,” he added.

He thanked Mr Feakes and the Australian government for their continued support to Bougainville despite the bigger picture they have in PNG.

“This is your seed dropped in Bougainville and I think people of Bougainville can now see the foresight of their partnership arrangement so that we can harness the development program in Bougainville as a whole,” he said.

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