Tuvalu’s electricity supply is currently stable, but the government is rushing temporary and longer-term backup measures after a fortnight-long emergency revealed vulnerabilities in the system, Transport and Energy Minister Simon Kofe said on Monday. Kofe told PACNEWS that recent blackouts were caused by network faults rather than failures of generation units, and outlined a timetable for bolstering the archipelago’s power resilience over the coming weeks and months.
Chief among the immediate steps is a rental generator funded by the Asian Development Bank that Kofe said is due to arrive on 28 May. That unit is intended to provide an emergency reserve for three to six months while Tuvalu completes procurement for permanent backup generators. Technical advisors are already in-country and the procurement process is under way, with bids for permanent generators expected in early May, the minister said.
Kofe also detailed moves to stabilise fuel supplies and storage. He said the next fuel tanker is scheduled for 13 May and that work is under way—with Australian support—to increase on-island fuel storage capacity to guard against future disruptions. “Fuel supply is stable for now, with the next tanker expected on 13 May,” he said, adding that steps to boost storage are part of national preparations.
International partners are being mobilised to tackle technical issues and strengthen the local power utility. Kofe said the Government of Japan is exploring support to send a Daihatsu specialist to assist with existing generators at the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation (TEC). Australia has deployed technical advisers to help improve TEC’s financial and operational systems, while Public Works Department and ICT teams are working with TEC to carry out infrastructure upgrades and strengthen system security.
The minister reported progress on integrating renewable energy into the grid: solar systems are contributing more reliably after technicians repaired communication cable faults with battery systems that previously caused compatibility problems with older diesel units. “Generators are operating well. Recent blackouts were due to network issues, not generator faults,” Kofe said, underlining that the operational focus has shifted from generation reliability to network and control fixes.
Authorities are also addressing the social impacts of the recent emergency. The Department of Energy, together with the Red Cross, has begun a survey to identify households eligible for hardship assistance after outages. Kofe said those assessments will guide targeted support for vulnerable families affected during the disruption.
The update marks the latest phase in Tuvalu’s response after the 14-day State of Emergency declared earlier this month. While the immediate risk of prolonged outage appears reduced, the government’s accelerated procurement, incoming rental capacity, partner technical assistance and storage upgrades signal a recognition that both short-term contingency measures and longer-term investments are necessary to keep the nation’s lights on.