New hydro power project for North Bougainville

By Benjamin Heriberth Noibio

Negotiations completed over the past weeks will see the construction of a hydroelectric power project for the northern tip of Bougainville.

The ground breaking ceremony was expected to take place in mid-March and then construction will start at the supply centre near Ramazon Bridge.

Chairman Dyson of Tearoki is a full-time negotiator and he is ensuring that preparations are under way and everything falls in line soon. Dyson has got a trade store in Bougainville Technical College; to make things happen quickly he uses his Toyota Land cruiser. He goes to Buka town frequently arranging things to start this month.

The supply centre of the hydro power will also be the residential. Only the Electricians and other staff will be residing in the supply centre and the buildings will be erected after the ground breaking ceremony.

The hydro power station will be constructed some meters up from the Ramazon Bridge, though the supply centre is located near the main highway.

“An Indian company has won the tender for constructing the hydro power, however other partnership companies will help out,” said Simon, one of the spokesmen.

“We are glad that we will at least have lights in our houses, we are sick and tired of small generators,” he continued with a smile, “power cables will cross the Buka passage and go all the way to Buka.”

Engineers of Ramazon Aggregate Company have been working on their machines to help out in the clearance of the supply site and the residential site. Ramazon River will be propelling power to all parts of north Bougainville.

The New Zealand government is funding the project and it is expected to benefit the entire northern region of Bougainville, including Wakunai, Tinputz, Buka and the west coast.

(Source http://www.bougainville24.com/infrastructure/new-hydro-power-project-for-north-bougainville)