Controversial power turbines arrive

THE two controversial turbines purchased by the Government through a K94 million contract have arrived in Port Moresby yesterday.

The media was taken on a tour at the Motukea slipway for hours to await the off-loading of the two gas turbines all the way from Houston, United States of America.

LR Group of Company executives were also at the Curtain Brothers slipway to receive the turbines.

PNG Power chief executive officer John Tangit was all smiles because the long awaited machinery has finally arrived – two months after leaving the United States.

He told reporters that it will take at least two months to assemble and install the turbine at Kanudi and by September the city will enjoy the services of the turbines.

He said the one for Lae would be off loaded at the Lae wharf, and it will be positioned at the new PNG Ports wharf where it will be assembled before being put to use.

"I formally announce the two gas turbines are here and I am here to formally accept them," Mr Tangit said.

"The machines are here at last, this is a good purchase, the chairman has also given his support on this project and these are state of the art machineries that will help boost the power generation of PNG’s two most important cities, Port Moresby and Lae.

"By September the turbines will be available for use in Port Moresby and will help because the Hanjung power plants will be out for maintenance.

"These turbines will be giving 80 per cent of the output and will be used as transits," he said with a smile.

This is a project co-funded by the PNG Government and the IPBC. The current surge in PNG Power operating costs are attributed to the recent world-wide upward trend in fuel costs – the effects of which have flowed through to Papua New Guinea.

The PNG Government and IPBC have each underwritten the increased costs to PNG Power by a total of K20 million,which will safeguard consumers against the rising cost of power production.

In another positive development for PNG Power customers, the Government and IPBC have agreed to equity in two new power generators, one each to be installed in Port Moresby and Lae by early September.

The two new generators will add an ISO base rating of 26.2 megawatts of power each to their respective grids at a total cost of K94 million.

Government equity injection in the project will be K70 million.

 

ONE PNG/ Post Courier