Tuvalu’s 14-day State of Emergency ends on Monday as the government moves to shore up power supplies with a short-term rental generator and accelerated procurement for permanent backup, Transport and Energy Minister Simon Kofe said in an update on Monday.
Kofe told reporters the electricity system is “stable” and that recent blackouts were caused by network faults, not generator failures. “Generators are operating well. Recent blackouts were due to network issues, not generator faults,” he said, underlining that crews have been working to repair distribution and communication links that disrupted service.
As a precaution, the Asian Development Bank-funded rental generator is now scheduled to arrive on 28 May and will act as a temporary backup for three to six months while new units are bought. Procurement for permanent backup generators is already underway, with bids for the permanent supply expected in early May, Kofe said, signalling a faster timeline than earlier public estimates.
Technical fixes and partner support form a key part of the government’s response. Kofe said communication cables to the battery system have been repaired, allowing improved integration of solar arrays with the diesel fleet. Japan is exploring support to send a Daihatsu specialist to assist existing generators at the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation (TEC), and technical advisors from other partners are currently in-country to advise on repairs and upgrades.
Australia will provide targeted assistance to strengthen TEC’s financial and operational systems, Kofe added, and is helping bolster fuel storage capacity as part of national preparations. Fuel stocks are reported as stable for the moment, with the next tanker expected on 13 May. The Public Works Department and national ICT teams are also working with TEC to harden infrastructure and system security against future outages.
Social support is being mobilised for households hardest hit during the emergency. The Department of Energy, together with the Red Cross, is conducting a survey to identify families eligible for hardship assistance, Kofe said, while technical teams continue diagnostics and repairs across the grid.
The update comes as Tuvalu lifts emergency measures and shifts into a recovery and resilience mode. The clear assignment of causes to recent outages — network faults rather than generator breakdowns — and the confirmation of an ADB-funded rental unit and an early May procurement timetable are the most significant new developments, signalling an injection of short-term capacity and concrete steps toward longer-term fixes.
In other Pacific news reported by PACNEWS on Monday, Palau statesman and business pioneer Surangel Whipps Senior has died at the age of 86.