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| Pacific Power Association delegates with Crown Prince 'Ulukalala and Princess Sinaitakala at the opening ceremony, Tuesday 2nd August 2016. Queen Salote Memorial Hall. |
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| Over 200 members from the Pacific Power Association (PPA) from across the Pacific together with service and equipment vendors globally came together at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall, for the opening of the 25th PPA Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition. |
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| This annual event was held in Nuku’alofa for the first time in the Kingdom of Tonga hosted by Tonga Power Ltd and with the assistance of the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC). |
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| The five day conference was officially opened by the guest of honor, Crown Prince ‘Ulukalala on Tuesday, 2nd August held under a theme “Integrating Intermittent Renewable Energy with Conventional Generation”. |
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| This year was a momentous event as it recorded the highest number of participants in the 25 years of holding this event. A total of 223 delegates attended the conference, 145 of which were Allied Members represented the 79 companies that exhibited. Seventeen power utilities from across the Pacific Region were present during the conference of which were represented by 57 delegates. A total of 11 development partners were present of which 21 delegates attended. The donor partners included ADB, CARILEC, European Investment Bank, European Union, GIZ-Deutsche, IRENA, JICA, MFAT, PRIF and the World Bank. |
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| Andrew Daka, PPA Executive Director said that the record attendance can be attributed to Tonga leading the way in energy reforms, being first to develop an integrated resource plan through a national energy road map to help the country lessen its dependence on imported fuel. |
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| “The implementation of the plan is taking place and hence would be a valuable opportunity for the other Pacific neighbours to learn from Tonga’s experience”, said Andrew. |
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| Andrew Daka, PPA Executive Director. Tuesday 2nd August 2016. Queen Salote Memorial Hall |
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| Crown Prince Tupouto’a told the gathering that the theme captures the Government of Tonga’s ambition to transform Tonga’s electricity industry from one that is heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels to one that is sustainable and environmentally friendly. This is in line with the Tonga Energy Road Map vision to reach 50% renewable energy generation and improvements in efficiency of supply by year 2020. |
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| In his address to the gathering, the Crown Prince noted that since 2014 the electricity tariff had decreased by 20 percent and in recent years there have been several policy and legislative initiatives in Tonga which aimed at improving the legal framework of the electricity sector and the implementation of fossil fuel reduction programs and development of renewable energy projects. |
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| “It is our hope that these frameworks can attract more private sector investment in value added renewable energy projects that can be beneficial for the country overall”. |
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| He elaborated that the theme is a clear recognition of the challenges associated with integrating renewable energy with conventional generation faced not only here in Tonga but by most of the Pacific Islands. |
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| HRH Crown Prince 'Ulukalala at the official opening ceremony. Tuesday, 2nd August 2016. Queen Salote Memorial Hall. |
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| Robert Matthews, Tonga Power Ltd CEO in his welcome remarks during the opening ceremony said that the continued support from development partners and along with private sector investment will be crucial if Tonga Power is to release the Government’s objective of reaching 50% renewable energy by year 2020. |
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| “ It can be difficult to comprehend just how much of a change is involved in moving towards renewable based electricity generation and the fact of the matter is that the challenge is exacerbated on such a small and generally underdeveloped power grids which exists throughout the Pacific”, said Robert. |
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| He noted that with the support provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) together with many other measures it has seen TPL move from 18 percent line losses 5 years ago to 11 percent line losses today. |
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| Mr. Matthews thanked the development partners for their generous assistance which contributes to Tonga meeting its renewable energy objective. |
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| “Tonga power found there is a need to change our philosophies for distributing electricity, from simple radial feeders to ring feeds throughout our main island of Tongatapu. Automated control of our diesel generation needs further improvements so that they can better react to the intermittent nature of our current and future solar and wind farms”, he added. |
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| Robert Matthews, CEO Tonga Power Ltd delivering the welcome remarks on behalf of the host utility. Tuesday, 2nd August 2016. Queen Salote Memorial Hall. |
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| Mr. Kione Isechal, PPA chairman said “since 1992 the PPA has committed to improving the quality of power in the region. Our mission is to support the Pacific Island Country and Territory (PICT) power utilities in the provision of high quality, secure, efficient and sustainable electricity services. |
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| Kione J. Isechal, PE. PPA Chairman delivering his welcome address at the opening ceremony of the PPA Conference. Tuesday, 2nd August 2016. Queen Salote Memorial Hall. |
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| The delegates shared and exchanged ideas in order to develop solutions using innovative technology for future renewable energy integration challenges. |
| Tonga Power acknowledges the contribution of the sponsors towards the 25th Pacific Power Association Conference: |
| Diamond Sponsors: Total and Transnet |
| Platinum Sponsors: AgilityCIS and Hawthorne |
| Gold Sponsors: Itron, Nexans, IT Power, Pacific Energy |
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| In-Kind Sponsors: MTQ, CBS, Nexans, Cummins, A&A and Industrial & Automotive Supplies Ltd Images from the 25th Pacific Power Association Conference opening ceremony. |
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