FUNAFUTI, 27 April 2026 — Tuvalu’s electricity system is holding steady but remains exposed to disruption, Transport and Energy Minister Simon Kofe said on Monday as a 14-day State of Emergency over recent power outages came to an end. Kofe warned that while generation capacity is performing, the islands still face risks and a suite of short-term and longer-term measures is being rushed in to shore up supplies.
Kofe told reporters that the recent blackouts were caused by network faults rather than failures of the island’s generators. “Generators are operating well. Recent blackouts were due to network issues, not generator faults,” he said, adding that teams are working to stabilise the distribution network while back-up measures arrive. As an immediate contingency, a rental generator financed by the Asian Development Bank is expected to arrive on 28 May; it will be used as temporary back-up for an estimated three to six months while permanent units are procured.
Technical assistance from partners is also being mobilised. The Government of Japan is exploring support to send a Daihatsu specialist to assist with the operation and maintenance of existing generators at the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation (TEC), and Australian technical advisers are in country to help strengthen TEC’s financial and operational systems. Public Works and ICT teams are cooperating with TEC to reinforce infrastructure and system security, Kofe said.
Progress has been made on renewable integration and grid controls that had complicated the emergency. Kofe said solar integration into the system has improved after previous compatibility problems, and a communications cable fault with the battery system has now been repaired, allowing solar and battery resources to better support generation. Procurement for permanent backup generators is under way, with bids expected to be invited in early May, he added.
The government is also addressing the social impacts of the outages. The Department of Energy, working with the Red Cross, has begun a survey to identify households eligible for hardship assistance arising from the disruption. Fuel supplies, a critical vulnerability for isolated island grids that rely on imported diesel, remain stable in the short term: the next tanker delivery is scheduled for 13 May, and Australia is working with Tuvalu to increase fuel storage capacity to reduce the nation’s exposure to future supply interruptions.
Kofe framed the current situation as a cautious improvement: immediate risks have been reduced by repairs and partner support, but the arrival of the ADB-funded rental generator and the outcome of the procurement process will determine how resilient the system is over coming months. With technical teams on the ground and international partners stepping up assistance, the government says it hopes to move quickly from emergency fixes to more durable, integrated solutions for Tuvalu’s power needs.