Tuvalu’s electricity system is “stable” but remains vulnerable, Transport and Energy Minister Simon Kofe said on Monday as the country ends a two‑week state of emergency and moves to shore up short‑term backup and longer‑term resilience measures.
Kofe told media in Funafuti that recent blackouts were traced to distribution network faults rather than failures of generating plant. “Generators are operating well,” he said, adding that solar output is now better integrated into the grid after repairs to communication cabling with the battery system. Those fixes, he said, have allowed solar to supplement generation and reduce pressure on thermal units.
To guard against further supply interruptions, the Government has secured a rental generator funded by the Asian Development Bank, which Kofe said is scheduled to arrive on 28 May. The temporary unit is expected to act as a stopgap for three to six months while procurement for permanent generators proceeds; bids for those permanent backup units are expected to be called in early May. Kofe also confirmed that new equipment is on order to address other technical shortcomings identified during the emergency.
International partners are already providing technical help. Kofe said technical advisors are in the country and Australia will send specialists to strengthen the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation’s (TEC) financial and operational systems. The Government of Japan is also exploring support, including the possible deployment of a Daihatsu specialist to work on existing generators at TEC. Public Works and ICT teams are collaborating with TEC to improve infrastructure and system security.
Fuel availability, a central concern during recent weeks, remains steady for now, with the next tanker shipment due to arrive on 13 May. Kofe said steps are being taken, with Australian assistance, to boost national fuel storage capacity to reduce vulnerability to future supply disruptions. Procurement and equipment orders forming part of that effort are under way.
The Government is also turning attention to households affected during the emergency. The Department of Energy, together with Red Cross teams, is conducting a survey to identify families eligible for hardship assistance during the disruption period. Kofe said the social support effort is part of a broader emergency response that has included on‑the‑ground technical assessments and rapid repairs.
While the immediate crisis indicators have eased, Kofe warned that risks persist and that the incoming rental generator and ordered equipment are only temporary steps toward a more resilient, renewable‑friendly power system. The minister emphasised continued international cooperation and expedited procurement as crucial to preventing a recurrence of the outages that prompted the emergency declaration.