About Us

About Solomon Islands Electricity Authority (trading as Solomon Power)

 

Who we are
Solomon Islands Electricity Authority (SIEA) trading as Solomon Power (SP) is a State Owned Enterprise.
Our objectives

Under Section 4 of the State Owned Enterprises Act, the principal objective of the Company is ‘operate as a successful business’, and to this end, be:

  • As profitable and efficient as comparable businesses that are not owned by the Crown.
  • A good employer.
  • An organisation that exhibits a sense of social responsibility by having regard to the interests of the community in which it operates.
    To meet these objectives, SP strives to be as profitable and efficient as comparable businesses by:
  • Within the Electricity and State Owned Enterprises Acts, installing, operating and maintaining electricity supply systems that meet the needs of connected customers.
  • Developing and implementing capital investment plans, to improve electricity system performance and increase the network coverage of agreed areas.
  • Seeking to recover efficient costs of the service provision.
  • Improving the efficiency of services, whilst improving asset reliability and availability.

 

Be a good employer by

  • Maintaining a well-qualified and motivated staff.
  • Adopting HR policies that treat employees fairly and properly in all aspects of recruitment, retention and employment.
  • Promoting a high level of safety throughout the organisation.
  • Act in a socially responsible manner by:
  • Building effective relationships with landowners, customer groups and interest groups that are affected by our activities.
  • Improving environmental reporting and performance on issues that are caused by our electricity supply activities.
  • Incorporating sustainability into our business activities, and working to improve sustainable outcomes in terms of resource management.
    Nature and scope of our activities
    SP’s principal commercial activities, as defined under the Electricity Act, are the
  • Generation and distribution of electrical supply to connected customers in approved areas,
  • Operation, maintenance and development of assets that are necessary to achieve these outcomes on a long term, sustainable basis,
  • Approved expansion of services to increased areas of operation.
    Other regulatory functions

 

The Company is also mandated by the Electricity Act to perform the following regulatory functions:

  • Be responsible for the registration of Electrical Contractors.
  • Ensure that industries and contractors comply with the Electricity Act and the AS/NZS Wiring Standards, by inspecting all electrical installations before connecting to SP mains.
  • Be responsible for the licensing of standby generators, Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and Cogeneration of power.

 

2018 Highlights

  • Signed the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for Tina River Hydropower project
  • Commenced the Solomon Islands Electricity Access and Renewable Energy Expansion Project (SIEAREEP) through World Bank
  • Improved the reliability of electricity supply
  • G-1 operation in Honiara sustained
  • The project to re-locate feeder 12 to East Honiara Substation has been completed and the upgrade works at Ranadi Substation are essentially complete
  • Works for the new substation at Kola’a Ridge have substantially progressed
  • Livened up connection to 1160 customers under the Output Based Aid programme
  • Under the World Bank funded SISEP procured the third 11/33 kV power transformer for Lungga Power Station
  • Installed and commissioned 600 Smart Meters at Honiara
  • Commissioned 11 kV and 415 V network extensions at 10 locations in Honiara
  • Progressed the upgrade works at Honiara Power Station
  • Streetlights in Honiara repaired and replaced
  • The design and construct contract for the conversion of the existing diesel generation systems at Kirakira, Lata, Malu’u, Munda and Tulagi to hybrid generation systems was executed and the works have progressed
  • Evaluation of tenders for solar hybrid systems at Hauhui, Namugha, Sasamunga and Vonunu progressed

 

The Board approved the following:

  • Extension to the 1 MW solar farm at Henderson by another 2 MW
  • Installation of a 220 kW solar system on the roof of our building at Ranadi
  • Solar Hybrid systems at Tingoa and Visale
  • Commissioned a new Meter Test Bench capable of testing the accuracy of ten revenue meters simultaneously
  • 41 personnel from various organisations acquired the grade A licensed electrician certification, of which 25 are from Solomon Power
  • Implemented an operations and maintenance plan for all our network and generation assets
  • A majority of the log of claims have been negotiated successfully with the Staff Association and approved.
  • Continued our focus on safety, nurturing and mentoring of staff
  • Continued internal safety, lineman and operator training programmes
  • Training of meter technicians, cable jointers, project managers continued
  • Customer Survey 2018 completed- improvements in many metrics in comparison with 2015 Survey

 

Plans for 2019

  • Achieve the conditions precedent under the PPA for Tina River Hydropower Project
  • Further improvement in the reliability of electricity supply in Honiara and at the Outstations
  • Sustain G-1 operation in Honiara
  • Continue the implementation of the Output Based Aid (OBA) programme
  • Complete the Ranadi Substation upgrade, new Kola’a Ridge Substation and the Lungga Power Station third power transformer projects
  • Implement the design and construct contract for the hybrid generation systems at Kirakira, Lata, Malu’u, Munda and Tulagi
  • Complete 15 more network extensions in Honiara and at the Outstations
  • Progress works to upgrade the 33kV and 11 kV switchboards at Lungga Power Station
  • Implement the design and construct contract at Afio
  • Progress the following under SIEAREEP
  • Extension to the 1 MW solar farm at Henderson by another 2 MW
  • Installation of a 220 kW solar system on the roof of our building at Ranadi
  • Solar Hybrid systems at Tingoa and Visale
  • Execute design and construct contracts for the new hybrid generation systems at Hauhui, Namugha, Sasamunga and Vonunu
  • Progress with stage 1 of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) project
  • Execute a design and construct contract for the hybrid generation system at Ambu, Auki
  • Procure land at Tanagai for a 1.5 MW grid connect solar and commence tender process
  • Progress the “Green Village” project at East Honiara
  • Implement the 24/7 Customer Call Centre project
  • Develop more new network extensions in Honiara and at the Outstations
  • Further develop the project for the installation of more Hybrid Generation Systems
  • Develop a project for battery energy storage systems (BESS)
  • Commence the review of the Electricity Tariff 2016
  • Continue implementation of the vegetation management plan
  • Continue our focus on safety, training, nurturing and mentoring
  • Continue with the Apprenticeship programme
  • Commence the Line Mechanic Training programme
  • Conduct campus interviews in universities in Honiara, Fiji and PNG to recruit graduates
  • Continue with the Talent Development programme and succession planning