FUNAFUTI, 27 April 2026 — Tuvalu’s electricity supply is stable for now, but the government says risks remain and emergency backup measures are being rushed in as a precaution, Transport and Energy Minister Simon Kofe told the nation on Monday as a 14‑day State of Emergency wound up.
Kofe said recent blackouts were traced to faults in the power network rather than failures of diesel generators, and that "generators are operating well." Still, to shore up supply while longer‑term replacements are procured, Tuvalu has secured a rental generator funded by the Asian Development Bank that is expected to arrive on 28 May. The government plans for that unit to serve as interim backup for three to six months while permanent backup units are sourced.
Technical teams and international partners are already on the ground. Kofe said procurement processes for permanent backup generators are under way, with bids expected in early May, and technical advisers are assisting the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation (TEC). The Japanese government is exploring support by sending a Daihatsu specialist to work with existing generators, he added. Australia is providing specialist advisers to strengthen TEC’s financial and operational systems and is helping plan upgrades to fuel storage capacity.
Work has also focused on better integrating renewable energy into the small island grid. Kofe reported that solar integration has improved after earlier compatibility problems with ageing generators, and that a communication cable issue with the battery system has been fixed, enabling stored solar power to support generation. Public Works Department and ICT teams are collaborating with TEC to strengthen infrastructure and system security, he said.
Fuel supply, a key vulnerability for diesel‑dependent Pacific islands, is currently secure, Kofe said, with the next tanker shipment scheduled for 13 May. Nonetheless, authorities are accelerating plans to boost on‑island storage to reduce the risk of outages should future shipments be delayed, with Canberra among the partners offering assistance on storage expansion and related logistics.
The government is also moving to address the social impacts of the emergency. The Department of Energy, working with the Red Cross, is conducting a survey to identify households eligible for hardship assistance after power interruptions. Kofe said the effort aims to ensure the most vulnerable — including those dependent on medical equipment and small businesses — can be prioritised in any relief measures.
The latest announcements follow a fortnight in which the government used emergency powers to manage the crisis; the update clarifies that the immediate generation capacity is intact but that systemic network, storage and resilience shortcomings need urgent attention. The rental generator and incoming technical support are intended to buy time while procurement and infrastructure upgrades progress.
In a separate regional note, longtime Palauan leader and businessman Surangel Whipps Senior has died at the age of 86, the bulletin reported Monday, marking the passing of a prominent figure in Pacific politics and business.