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The Fiji Electricity Authority (FEA) needs $1.4 billion to develop various new power generation schemes over the next few years says chief executive officer Hasmukh Patel.
Addressing members of the Suva Retailers Association, the Consumer Council of Fiji and the media at the FEA headquarters in Suva last night, Patel said that the authority had a number of projects in the pipeline that needed funding.
He said the projects would be carried out in areas including Ovalau, Vanua Levu and Viti Levu.
“For Viti Levu, we have some plans. The Nadarivatu Hydro (scheme) is being constructed by FEA presently and we expect completion in August 2011.
“The other scheme is Darivono Hydro; this is on the upper ridges of Nadarivatu. (For) Darivono Hydro, we have completed the visibility studies, there is potential to develop that scheme and it (will) cost around $US100 million.”
Other schemes include the construction of power of plants in Wailoa and Wainisavulevu which would cost them a combined total of US$140 million.
According to Patel, the costs of developing these schemes along with other projects in the western and northern divisions would come to a total of $1.4 billion.
The FEA came under renewed criticism this week for its request to the Commerce Commission for an unspecified increase in tariffs, following which the commission announced a four-week inquiry into the authority’s financial affairs of over the past 10 years.
By Repeka Nasiko
