SIRINUMU WATER LEVEL DROPS TO 53%

BY RAYLEEN WANJIMAN

DUE to the current El Niño conditions, water levels at Sirinumu Dam are continuing to fall, with the dam now at 53% capacity currently generation power throughout Nation’s Capital.

PNG Power Chief Executive Officer Paul Bailey revealed the figures during a recent press conference at the company’s headquarters in Port Moresby to address the impact of El Niño on electricity generation and supply.

Bailey says the dam is 53% as of today 06th October 2026 and dropping by about 1% in every 10 days with the current loading. This leaves a 33% gap before the dam reaches 20% which power generation will cease and the 20% water level will be reserved for Port Moresby’s water supply rather than electricity generation.

That falling water level is already affecting electricity generation, with more than half of the power normally supplied to the Port Moresby grid coming from hydroelectric generation.

Bailey explained that the reduced water level has lowered output from Rouna hydro stations from 40 megawatts to 24 megawatts making it a 40% reduction meanwhile the Edevu Hydro Power Station, which relies on the Brown River has also seen a significant drop of 75% reduction that is about 56 megawatts to 14 megawatts.

Bailey said the sharp decline in generation demonstrates the severe impact El Niño is having on hydroelectric generation and the reliability of the Port Moresby grid.

With less power available and limited reserve capacity during a period of high demand, PNG Power says load shedding is a necessity that will continue to manage pressure on the grids.

Load shedding means electricity supply is deliberately switched off in selected areas for periods of time to reduce demand and protect the wider grid from system outages and damage.

Bailey says PNG Power and Water PNG have already taken measures to limit water releases and protect the city’s essential water supply.

He is also urging customers to conserve electricity where possible as PNG Power manages the limited supply.

PNG Power apologies for the inconvinces affecting its customers and says it will continue to publish load-shedding schedules and provide operational updates as conditions change.