FUNAFUTI — Tuvalu’s electricity supply has stabilised following recent blackouts, but the government is rushing temporary and longer-term fixes after confirming the outages were caused by network faults rather than generator failure, Transport and Energy Minister Simon Kofe said on Monday.
As a 14‑day State of Emergency over the power situation comes to an end, Kofe told reporters that generators at the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation (TEC) are operating normally and that recent interruptions were traced to distribution and communications faults. “Generators are operating well. Recent blackouts were due to network issues, not generator faults,” he said, adding that a communication cable problem affecting the battery system has now been repaired and solar output is again able to support generation.
To bolster supply while permanent replacements are sourced, Tuvalu has secured a rental generator funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The unit is due to arrive on 28 May and is expected to provide 3–6 months of backup capacity while procurement for permanent backup generators proceeds. Bids for those longer‑term machines were expected to open in early May, Kofe said, with technical teams already working in‑country to finalise specifications and support the tender.
International partners have stepped up technical and operational assistance. The Government of Japan is exploring support to deploy a Daihatsu specialist to help maintain TEC’s existing generators, while Australia has sent technical advisers to assist TEC’s financial systems and accounts and is also helping to strengthen fuel storage capacity. “Technical advisors are currently in‑country. Procurement processes are underway,” Kofe said, noting Public Works Department and ICT teams are cooperating with TEC to shore up infrastructure and system security.
Fuel logistics were confirmed to be stable for now, with the next tanker shipment scheduled to arrive on 13 May. Authorities say bolstering storage remains a priority to guard against future supply interruptions; Canberra’s assistance will include measures to increase on‑island capacity for fuel reserves. Kofe warned, however, that risks persist while permanent solutions are implemented, particularly given Tuvalu’s heavy reliance on imported fuel and ageing network assets.
Authorities are also addressing the social impacts of the emergency. The Department of Energy, together with the Red Cross, is carrying out a survey to identify households eligible for hardship assistance after outages disrupted services across Funafuti. Kofe emphasised the dual focus on technical fixes and community support as the country transitions from emergency response to recovery and resilience building.
The government says the mix of short‑term rental capacity, international technical assistance, improved solar integration and an active procurement process for permanent generators represents the latest phase in restoring and strengthening Tuvalu’s power system. For now, generation capacity is intact; the priority is preventing further network faults and securing fuel and equipment to ensure sustained, reliable supply.