K600M WARA KAGUL HYDRO PROJECT SET TO END HIGHLANDS POWER WOES

CAPTION: Justice and Attorney General Minister Pila Niningi inspecting the newly cleared access road to the K600 million Wara Kagul Hydro Power Project in Imbonggu, Southern Highlands Province.

By JOSEPH REMA

THE K600 million Wara Kagul Hydro Power Project in Imbonggu, Southern Highlands Province, is expected to significantly improve electricity supply across the Highlands when completed.

The 68-megawatt project, featuring two turbines, is being developed at Ikulumbe Village and is expected to be fully operational within three years of completion.

Justice and Attorney General Minister Pila Niningi inspected the newly cleared access road to the project site, stressing the importance of ensuring construction access is completed without unnecessary delays.

Mr Niningi said the project would not require a government guarantee or financial assistance, with the developer, AG Investment, responsible for the costs from construction through to completion.

“All the costs involved, from the initial stage to completion, will come from the developer, AG Investment,” Mr Niningi said. “They are experienced people and known for building world-class hydro projects. They built the Edevu Hydro Power Project on the Brown River in Central Province, and the same expertise will be applied here.”

Mr Niningi said the project would bring significant development opportunities to Imbonggu and the wider Highlands region.

Tona Ward Two councillor John Las commended landowners for voluntarily making land available for the project despite the loss of gardens, coffee, marita and banana crops.

“In other places, payment for improvements must be made before construction begins. Here, we are making our land available for development because we prioritise services over money,” Mr Las said. “We want services and we want others to benefit from this project.”

Western Highlands Chamber of Commerce president Allan Kulunga, who witnessed the development, also commended the people of Imbonggu for sacrificing their land for development.

Mr Kulunga said while roads and bridges were critical priorities in rural areas, reliable electricity was equally important for businesses and economic growth.

About 1.5 kilometres of the access road has so far been cleared to allow heavy machinery and trucks to reach the proposed power plant site.

The project is expected to become a major source of reliable electricity for the Highlands and support businesses and communities once operational.