ADB, partners to increase access to clean energy in Tonga's Outer Islands

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) joined the Government of Tonga and other development partners in a groundbreaking ceremony to officially mark the first step toward the construction of the country’s first off-grid solar-power plant and distribution network for Tonga’s most remote island of Niuatoputapu.

The off-grid solar power plant is the latest milestone of the Outer Islands Renewable Energy Project, supported by ADB and co-financed by the Government of Australia, the Government of Tonga, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, and the Second Danish Cooperation Fund for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency for Rural Areas.

“ADB remains committed to working with its partners to help support the Government of Tonga achieve its renewable energy generation targets,” said Senior Country Coordination Officer in Tonga, Mr. Tatafu Moeaki, who represented ADB at the event.

The new solar mini-grid will provide the 210 homes on the island with prepaid metering to improve access to affordable, clean energy. This first off-grid solar plant follows the completion of on-grid solar plants and network upgrades on the islands of Ha’apai and ‘Eua.

Other benefits of the project include increased consumer access to electricity generated by solar power due to a reduction in cost and increasing reliability and efficiency of power on the supply side in the outer islands. The project is assisting the operations of both on-grid and off-grid systems through the provision of training and knowledge transfer by Tonga Power Limited to the beneficiary communities for 5 years after the commissioning of the mini-grid systems.

Original source: ADB
Published on 24 July 2019