Pacific Renewable Energy Ltd Chairperson – Mr Jinyuan Wang with EPC Chairman Faaolesa Katopau Ainuu & General Manager, Tologata Tile Lei’a Tuimalealiifano during the signing ceremony.
14 April 2015
A new wind project supplying an additional 25 megawatt to the electricity grid was finalised for implementation on Monday 13th April, with the signing of the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the Electric Power Corporation and the locally registered private company, Pacific Renewable Energy Ltd.
The PPA requires the Pacific Renewable Energy Ltd to build a wind energy farm plus a hydro storage plant on Upolu. This will generate and supply 48 million units of electricity a year. This would be the second wind energy farm in the country. The first one was commissioned in August last year at Vailoa, Aleipata.
“This is part of the EPC’s continuous efforts in developing renewable energy sources, so to achieve our Government’s goal of using 100 percent renewable energy for electricity generation”, EPC General Manager, Tologata Galumalemana Lupematasila Tile said.
The new wind energy farm is one of the many renewable energy installations that are in the pipeline with some already supplying electricity. “A 500kw new Solar System by the Sun Pacific Energy at the Faleolo Airport was commissioned and connected to the EPC grid last Friday with remaining 1,500kW to be completed very soon” said Tologata. He added that a second solar company, Green Power Samoa is currently constructing its 2,000kW solar system at the same location and is expected to be commissioned in May this year.
EPC already has five (5) solar facilities now operating in both Upolu and Savaii. Three (3) of these installations in Vaitele, Tanugamanono and Salelologa were funded by JICA while the NZ Government funded two other solar facilities including the 2.2MW system inside the Tuanaimato Race Course and 250kw on rooftop of Gym 3 at Tuanaimato and a 130kw system in Salelologa.
Plans for refurbishment of 3 hydro damaged by cyclone EVANS and installation of new hydro schemes are also in the pipeline as well as using 100 percent renewable energy sources for generating electricity on the island of Savaii.
“About 11 million units of electricity is generated from diesel fuel in Savaii per annum, so EPC is planning to replace diesel generation with renewable energy generation”, Tologata concluded.
Pacific Renewable Energy Ltd delegation with EPC
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