The Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) requires Pacific Renewable Energy Ltd to build a wind farm plus a hydro storage plant on Upolu. This will generate and supply 48 million units of electricity per year and will be the second wind farm in the country. The first wind farm in Samoa was commissioned in August 2014 at Vailoa, Aleipata.
“This is part of the EPC’s continuous efforts in developing renewable energy sources, so to achieve our Government’s goal of using 100 percent renewable energy for electricity generation” said EPC General Manager, Tologata Galumalemana Lupematasila Tile.
The new wind farm is one of many renewable energy installations that are in the pipeline in Samoa, some of them already supplying electricity. Tologata added that a 500kw new Solar System by the Sun Pacific Energy at the Faleolo Airport was commissioned and connected to the EPC grid last Friday (10th April) with 1,500 kW to be added very soon. A second solar company, Green Power Samoa, is currently constructing its 2,000 kW solar system at the same location and is expected to be commissioned in May this year.
EPC already have five solar facilities operating in Upolu and Savaii. Three of them are in Vaitele, Tanugamanono and Salelologa, funded by JICA. Two other solar facilities have been funded by the New Zealand government, including the 2.2 MW system inside the Tuanaimato Race Course and 250 kw on the rooftop of Gym 3 at Tuanaimato as well as a 130 kw system in Salelologa. There are also plans to refurbish three hydro projects damaged by Cyclone Evans and new hydro schemes are also in the pipeline.
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