Samoa is punching above its weight to reduce its dependency on diesel fuel to generate electricity and reduce the emission of poisonous gas to their environment.
A commissioning ceremony was held to mark the completion of the construction and installation of the 200 Kilowatt Vailoa New Hydro Power Plant.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who was the chief guest, said the project is part of the government’s strategic plan to be one hundred percent on renewable energy by year 2025.
“In order to reduce Samoa’s dependency on diesel fuel to generate electricity and reduce the emission of poisonous gas into our environment that has resulted in major changes in climate.”
In 2018, 48% of the total electricity demand for Samoa was generated from Renewable Energy and 52% from diesel,” he said.
Tuilaepa added that only one percent was renewable energy for the island of Savaii.
The Vailoa new Hydro Power Plant is one of three new hydro power plants that have been constructed as part of Renewable Energy Development and Power Sector Rehabilitation Project.
“The other two new hydro power plants are Tafitoala and Fausaga hydro power plants dedicated last week and Fuluasou hydro plant still under construction and scheduled to be completed in the next three months.”
“All these projects under the Energy Renewable Energy Development and Power Sector Rehabilitation Project are funded from grants from Asian Development Bank, European Union, Government of New Zealand, Government of Samoa, and Electric Power Corporation,” Tuilaepa said.
He said the project took one year to construct and is now of great assistance to most of the people.
“The total cost of the Vailoa new hydro plant is $1,736,919.68 US Dollars plus $873,149.56 Samoan Tala and took 1 year to build.”
“Installed capacity of this new hydro power plant is 200 kilowatt and produces 500,000 kilowatt hour units of electricity per year which is about 4% of the total annual electricity demand in Savaii. This will provide electricity to some 800 families in Savaii,” he added.
The new power plant includes a buried fiberglass pipe from the river intake to power station, surge chamber, and power station installed with one vertical 200 kilowatt Pelton turbine with 3 jets and generator and electrical equipment.
The Plant is connected to the Saleologa through the Asau Distribution feeder to supply power to customers in Vailoa, neighboring villages in the south side of Savaii.
Tuilaepa also said the plant is remotely controlled from EPC’s Salelologa Control Center through telecommunication links using microwaves, radio signals and fiber optic cable.
Photo supplied