More than 600 households in five villages on Tongatapu have received immediate power connections through large electricity generators donated by the Australian Government.
The villages are Ha’atafu, Kolovai, Houma, Kolonga and Niutoua.
The generators will allow Tonga Power Limited (TPL) to focus on the restoration of electricity to households, businesses and other essential services in the central district of Tonga where power was severely affected by TC Gita.
TPL Operations General Manager Mr. Seti Chen said, “The generators have been a real sought after item for individual homes and businesses in the last week and a half. Seeing these five generators coming off the plane ready to power up over 600 households at the furthest points of the network certainly warms the heart and we cannot thank the Australian Government enough for their generosity.”
Mr. Chen said that villages were chosen based on the last to have power restored, since Ha’atafu is furthest village at the Western District and Niutoua at the Eastern District. The other three villages were picked because they host communities’ health centres.
The generators are fed via a fuel top up system and each set cost over AUD $10,000.
Photo supplied