Papua New Guinea is abundant in natural energy resources — so why does it struggle with blackouts?
For its citizens, power outages are not an occasional inconvenience but a persistent reality, impacting everything from daily routines to critical public services.
This chronic instability, driven by a complex interplay of historical underinvestment, geographical challenges, and structural issues within the state-owned enterprise PNG Power, presents a significant hurdle to the nation's development and the well-being of its people.
The immediate and most visible consequence of these blackouts is the disruption to everyday life.
Imagine a student's lesson interrupted mid-PowerPoint, a family's evening plunged into darkness, or a small business that has to dump its perishable goods. These are not isolated incidents.
Joy Asuire, lecturer from the University of Goroka, says the blackouts are a disruption. ( Image: The University of Goroka )
Joy Asuire, a lecturer from the University of Goroka, recounted the many instances she has had to manage her work with power blackouts.
"It's a distraction to the education of our citizens, especially the young population, the students, because of what it causes… when you are in the middle of your lesson doing a PowerPoint presentation, the power goes off."
In some remote areas, the situation is far more severe, with communities and schools receiving power only twice a week, as observed by lecturers in New Ireland.
It's not just an inconvenience.
The implications for critical sectors are dire. At Port Moresby General Hospital, oncology nurse Peter Fore highlights the life-and-death stakes involved.
"Some of the patients, we do run their chemo using the infusion pumps. So when there is a blackout, it makes it very difficult for us. When there is power it makes everything possible."
Surgical procedures are also frequently affected, and vital medical equipment, including refrigerators for drug storage, are vulnerable to damage from inconsistent power.
Mr Fore expressed the frustration and added burden on medical staff, who often work uncompensated extra hours due to delays caused by outages.
The immediate and most visible consequence of Papua New Guinea's blackouts is the disruption to everyday life. ( Supplied )
The state of PNG Power
The entity primarily responsible for Papua New Guinea's electricity grid is PNG Power, a State-Owned Enterprise (SOE).
Like other SOEs such as PNG Water and Air Niugini, PNG Power is intended to provide essential services, but its performance has consistently fallen short, leading to widespread public dissatisfaction.
Manu Rawali, Coordinator for the University of Papua New Guinea's Center of Renewable Energy, noted that the electricity supply had "gotten worse" over the years, with smaller towns experiencing outages for days or even weeks.
"The electric supply has gotten worse. And as you head out towards the smaller towns, the smaller grids. Oh, man, those guys, it's almost half a day," he said.
"They don't have electricity at times. They have, no electricity for up to, you know, weeks without electricity."
For provinces like Manus, New Ireland, and West Sepik, people have come to expect outages for most of the day.
This decline is particularly striking given that in the early 1980s, PNG's grid relied on over 70 per cent renewables, a figure that has since reversed, with the current energy mix being roughly 50 per cent thermal (diesel and gas) and 50 per cent renewables, even with the introduction of new hydro plants like Edevu.
Mr Rawali attributed this shift away from renewables to increasing demand not being met by new renewable energy investments.
The "quick fix" of diesel became the default, leading to a reliance that has proven difficult to break. This is further compounded by the state of the existing infrastructure.
Describing many power stations as "practically black", Mr Rawali painted a grim picture of neglect: oil spills, fuel leaks, and "cannibalised generators" used for parts. This dilapidated infrastructure means that even when power is generated, the ageing network struggles to deliver it reliably.
Adding to the complexity is PNG's unique geography.
With 80 per cent of its population living off-grid, primarily in sparsely scattered communities across rugged terrain and islands, the conventional method of extending the national grid is deemed "impossible" by Mr Rawali.
This stark reality means that significant portions of the population remain unconnected, highlighting a profound disparity in access to basic services.
The government's budgetary allocations further underscore this imbalance; while almost a billion Kina was allocated to PNG Power (serving the 20 per cent on-grid population) for 2024-2028, only 15 million Kina was budgeted for off-grid initiatives.
But even businesses and residents who live along the grid do not have ready access to power.
The instability within PNG Power as a corporate entity also plays a role. With a reported 14 or 15 CEOs over its history, the lack of consistent leadership has led to frequent shifts in organisational direction.
Mr Rawali suggested that decisions within the sector have often been influenced by "non-technical people" rather than being purely business or engineering-driven.
This indicates a systemic issue where expertise may be overlooked in favour of external pressures, hindering effective long-term planning and implementation.
Future outlook for Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea's Minister for Energy, Thomas Opa, acknowledged the challenges, describing the blackouts as "terrible".
"We receive a lot of complaints, but basically it's not a problem of generation. It is a problem of constant supply."
Mr Opa said the problem was often not a lack of generation capacity but rather issues with the reliable supply of diesel fuel and, critically, ageing infrastructure.
He stressed the government's ambitious "National Energy Rollout Plan", aiming to provide 70 per cent of Papua New Guineans with access to power by 2030.
While many might be sceptical of this target, he maintained the government's vision and purpose.
Papua New Guinea's Minister for Energy, Thomas Opa. ( Image: National Energy Authority (NEA) )
A key strategy under this plan is to demystify the myth that only PNG Power can provide power.
This involves a deregulation of the energy sector, allowing private companies, districts, and associations to apply for licenses to generate, transmit, retail, and distribute power.
Mr Opa suggested that this approach will facilitate the deployment of diverse solutions, including mini-hydro and solar, particularly for rural areas where PNG Power does not operate. Solar, in particular, is highly recommended due to its ease of deployment and cost-effectiveness.
This move towards decentralised, renewable energy solutions resonates with experts like Mr Rawali, who believes PNG is uniquely suited for solar and hydropower.
"Almost every location in PNG is good for solar. It could be easily integrated into the grid. That could be done in any location," he said.
"Solar is easily accessible in many or almost all locations in Papua New Guinea. It's just a matter of having the funding, having the land and just working to integrate it."
Papua New Guinea is a country at a crossroads. Rich in resources, yet plagued by a lack of consistent power. ( Supplied )
However, Mr Rawali's hope is tempered by a deep-seated scepticism, born from decades of unfulfilled promises and reform papers that have yielded little tangible change.
"No amount of money poured in, no amount of overseas expertise poured in is going to resolve PNG power issues… I think we need it needs a structural change for the for us to see some light."
As Papua New Guinea continues to navigate this complex energy crisis, the impact on its foundational pillars, such as education, remains profound.
Papua New Guinea is a country at a crossroads. Rich in resources, yet plagued by a lack of consistent power, it faces a stark choice.
The government's vision for deregulation and renewable energy offers a glimmer of hope, but the success of these initiatives will depend on overcoming entrenched structural issues, ensuring sustained investment, and fostering genuine collaboration to deliver reliable power that is not just an amenity, but a necessity for stability, security, and survival.
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