Construction of new powerhouse at Kaimiti have been placed on hold

Construction works on the new powerhouse at Kaimiti have been placed on hold.

This has been confirmed to BCN News by the Premier Dalton Tagelagi.

“This project has been placed on hold until consultations with the village have taken place.”

Concerns were raised by Opposition members O’love Jacobsen and Terry Coe at the last Fono Ekepule on Wednesday last week about the site being near the hospital and the lack of consultation with the residents.

At his first press conference earlier this month Premier Tagelagi told BCN News that the government had started construction work on the new power station.

BCN News asked if there was an Environmental and Social impact assessment conducted on this project, the Premier said “that that process of conducting the EIA is on-going”.  He said that “The new power facility is to support the current power system.

This has been on the pipeline since last year and it was confirmed earlier this year to go ahead”

The successful contractor for the project is Mautama Constructions, the same company which built the Joint Emergency Operations Centre at Fonuakula.

The project is funded by Australia which includes the procurement of two generators and the construction of the new building which has already started.

The existing power station at Tuila was flooded earlier this year during a record heavy downpour which forced an emergency national power shutdown.