World Bank Country Director visits Tina River Hydropower Development Project Site

World Bank Country Director visits Tina River Hydropower Development Project Site

July 5, 2024, Guadalcanal – The World Bank Country Director for Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands, Mr Stephen Ndegwa, visited the Tina River Hydropower Development Project site in central Guadalcanal this week to view the progress made on the project since his previous visit in late 2023.

Accompanied by Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE) Mr Chris Vehe, the World Bank Resident Representative for Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, Ms Annette Leith, and the Tina River Project Office staff, the visit to the 15 MW renewable energy project provided an opportunity to discuss the achievements made and be briefed on the upcoming works for the tunnel and dam site which will be commencing in the coming months.
Mr Ndegwa was pleased to see the progress made and emphasised the World Bank’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote clean energy and sustainable development in the region. He acknowledged that the project represents a significant step towards enhancing energy security and driving economic growth in the Solomon Islands.

“I am pleased to note that the construction of the access road and other civil works components have significantly advanced since my last visit nine months ago. I thank the Solomon Islands Government for their continuous support and commitment to the project and the contractors for the progress made. Tina River Hydropower Project is an important investment for Solomon Islands. It not only allows Solomon Islanders the opportunity to utilize their own natural resources to generate clean and stable renewable energy for the Honiara grid, but also offers numerous benefits for the provision of social services, business, and economic growth. While we anticipate the start of the main construction works for the power plant, challenges remain. Solving them will require the understanding and support of SIG and all project partners.”
PS Vehe conveyed the Solomon Islands Government’s gratitude for the World Bank’s ongoing support. “The consistent collaboration of all parties in advancing the project to its current stage has been essential, as has been the support of the World Bank and the other five financing parties in fostering sustainable and accountable project execution through our ongoing partnership.”

For over a decade, the World Bank have been working closely with the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification under the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) to develop the project from project preparation to implementation.
The other concessional financing parties include the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Asian Development Bank, the Government of Australia, the Green Climate Fund and the Korea EX-IM Economic Development Cooperation Fund.