On Friday afternoon UNELCO began supplying electric customers in the lower part of Etas.

The inauguration ceremony included the Minister of Climate Change, Hon. Silas BULE, Director General Climate Change, a Department of Energy representative, Etas Chiefs, Community representatives, the URA CEO, UNELCO’s Managing Director and many members of the local community.

The Etas electric network extension, which links lower Etas to the power ring that runs along the main road, includes over 2 km of aerial and subterranean cable, and required 22 million vatus of investment.

The extension planning and works began in November 2021, following the completion of Malafao extension in North Efate that same month, and has now been completed in a relatively short timeframe considering the COVID restriction impediments in March and April of this year.

The inauguration on Friday was for the network and population that lives in the lower Etas area which includes approximately 50 lots.

A portion of the houses have already signed up, have customer connections and others will follow in the coming months.

This extension is the first of three stages to connect inhabitants in the Etas area to the main grid.

The Stages 2 and 3 of the projects, that will see power go higher up from the main road, should be completed in 2023.

The Minister of Climate Change said that this project was part of the Government’s National Energy Road Map, which includes access to energy as a strategic priority.

He also emphasized that he thanked UNELCO for their long-term public private partnership with the Government and thanked the community and leaders for enabling this project to go forward.

UNELCO Managing Director said during the launching ceremony that ‘community in Etas had been on the edge of the electricity grid for a while and UNELCO is glad to finally have been able to roll out its 5-year investment plan agreed upon with the authorities in 2021’.

He further stated that ‘the investment plan focuses on providing access to electricity and accelerating renewable energy development on Efate’

The UNELCO representatives also reminded the newly connected people that it is important for them to enjoy their new access to electricity but also to conserve, not only for the planet but also because of the historically high fossil fuels costs associated to the Ukrainian conflict.

The Chiefs warmly welcomed the arrival of power and said that they would continue to work constructively with UNELCO and the Government to complete Stages 2 and 3.