Autagavaia says the government is working to resolve the power supply issue "bit by bit". Photo: 123RF
Residents on Samoa's main island of Upolu can expect some relief after the arrival of five generators leased from a company in New Zealand on Monday to manage the country's ongoing power crisis.
On 31 March, the Samoan Prime Minister announced a 30-day state of emergency for the government to implement measures to manage and restore power, protect public health and safety, and maintain essential services.
Fiame said the economic impact of the crisis is estimated to cost up to 16 percent of Samoa's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
RNZ Pacific Samoa correspondent Tipi Autagavaia told Pacific Waves that the government was working to resolve the power supply issue "bit by bit" while the country remains under a state of emergency until 29 April.
"The generators [are] going to be connected to the main power supply at Fuluasou and Fiaga [power stations] and, hopefully, those works should be done, and the generators up and running by the 15th of this month."
Autagavaia said two brand-new, permanent generators for the Electric Power Corporation, which have been purchased from China, will be arriving in August.
"The five generators leased from a company in New Zealand will be used for six months.
"By the time those two brand-new [and] much bigger generators arrive and [are] hooked up to the main supply, that will be the end of the leased generators from New Zealand."
He said that, while parts of Upolu were getting uninterrupted power supply, power rationing was still in place for some communities.
"Only a few areas are still rationing [power], that's my understanding," Autagavaia said.
"We were told yesterday (Monday) in a press conference [by] the National Emergency Operations Center that some of the other areas have been rationed, but power supply is still continuing in those areas."
He said some of the technical problems in some of the power stations have been fixed temporarily, which is why certain areas have power supply.
"So, it seems that the problem is being fixed bit by bit."
He said the government was also preparing to provide assistance for those businesses and families whose electrical appliances have been damaged because of the power disruptions.
"That part of the [state of emergency] is still under review and consideration. Sometime this week, the disaster committee will be putting out a public notice telling people, businesses, and households in Uplou how that is going to work," he added.
