FUNAFUTI — Tuvalu’s Transport and Energy Minister Simon Kofe has announced a short-term backup plan to shore up the country’s power system as a 14‑day State of Emergency ends on 1 May 2026, with a rental generator funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) expected to arrive on 28 May.
Kofe told PACNEWS on Monday that electricity supply across Tuvalu is currently stable and that recent blackouts were caused by network problems rather than failures of generating units. “Generators are operating well. Recent blackouts were due to network issues, not generator faults,” he said, while stressing that the Government and partners are accelerating measures to reduce ongoing risks to supply.
The ADB‑funded rental generator will provide backup for an interim 3–6 month period while procurement for permanent replacement units is finalised. Kofe said procurement processes for permanent backup generators are already underway, with bids expected to be called in early May. Technical advisors are presently in Funafuti to assist those preparations.
International support is being mobilised on several fronts. Australia is helping to strengthen the financial and operational systems of the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation (TEC), supplying technical advisors to support accounts and broader organisational capacity. The Public Works Department and national ICT teams are also working with TEC to reinforce infrastructure and system security, Kofe said. Japan is exploring deployment of a Daihatsu specialist to assist with the maintenance and optimisation of existing generators.
Renewable integration gains were highlighted as part of the update. Kofe said solar systems are now contributing more reliably to the grid after fixes to communication cabling between battery storage and generation control equipment. Those repairs have improved compatibility between solar inputs and older diesel units, he said.
Fuel logistics remain a critical element of the plan. Kofe confirmed the next fuel tanker is scheduled to arrive on 13 May and said the Government, with Australian support, is boosting on‑island fuel storage capacity to guard against future supply disruptions. In the meantime, authorities will rely on existing stocks and the incoming rental unit once it arrives late next month.
The Government is also addressing immediate social impacts from the emergency. The Department of Energy, together with the Red Cross, is conducting a household survey to identify families eligible for hardship assistance during the emergency period. Kofe said those assessments are intended to target aid to the most vulnerable while technical and procurement work continues.
While the immediate outlook is calmer than when the emergency was declared, Kofe framed the moves as necessary risk management: temporary generation cover, strengthened storage, technical support from partners and accelerated procurement are designed to reduce the chance of disruptive outages as Tuvalu continues efforts to integrate renewables and modernise ageing infrastructure.