News

Australia commits AUD 17 million for the Tina River Hydro Project

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Australia commits AUD 17 million for the Tina River Hydro Project

Solomon Islands is one step closer to cheaper and more reliable electricity that will boost business activity and improve people’s lives. Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator the Hon Concetta Fierravanti-Wells announced today that Australia has committed up to AUD 17 million for the Tina River Hydropower Development Project (Tina River Hydro). Australia will support the construction of the access road to the project site in East Guadalcanal and technical assistance for the Solomon Islands Government to manage the project’s implementation. “Australia is proud to support this major nation-building project,” Minister Fierravanti-Wells said, “Tina River Hydro has …

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NIPS Welcomes GCF Grant Approval for Tina River Hydro Development Project

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NIPS Welcomes GCF Grant Approval for Tina River Hydro Development Project

The Network of Indigenous Peoples Solomons, (NIPS) welcomes the Green Climate Fund’s approval of USD86m for the Tina River Hydro Development Project recently in Sondong, South Korea. Vice President and Coordinator of NIPs, Ms Aydah Gwaena Akao, who was part of the delegation says this is a milestone for Small Island Developing States and especially the Pacific region. “What has transpired so far in the Tina River Hydro Project is the good work between indigenous land owners and community leaders; Tina River Hydro project Team; Provincial Government; National Government through the Ministries of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, …

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Green Climate Fund approves US$86 Million for Tina River Hydro Development Project in Solomon Islands

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Green Climate Fund approves US$86 Million for Tina River Hydro Development Project in Solomon Islands

Significantly reduced electricity costs are one step closer with the approval of US$86 million by the board of the Green Climate Fund for the Tina River Hydropower Project. The funding approval was made in a meeting of the Fund’s board at its headquarters in Songdo, South Korea this week. Of the GCF funding, US$70 million is a low-interest loan towards the cost of building the hydro power facility, while US$16 million is grant contribution for the construction of the key access road that will link the power house and the hydropower facility to the capital city Honiara. The Green Climate …

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International Renewable Energy Agency awards concessional loan for Tina Hydro

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International Renewable Energy Agency awards concessional loan for Tina Hydro

Solomon Islands has been awarded a USD15 million concessional loan for Tina Hydro Project by the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA. The award was announced during IRENA’s 2017 Assembly in Abu Dhabi last weekend. It is the first concessional loan to be approved in support to Tina Hydro, which is the largest renewable energy project ever in Solomon Islands and the largest renewable project currently being developed in the Pacific. The Tina Hydro will provide access to renewable energy for more than 100,000 people in the greater Honiara region and has been under preparation since 2011 with donor support primarily …

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Tina Hydro Office Briefs Environment and NGO Officials

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Tina Hydro Office Briefs Environment and NGO Officials

The Tina Hydro Project Office on Thursday this week highlighted critical issues about the Environment and Social Impact Assessment Report to officials of the Environment division and representatives of the non government organisations in the country. Issues highlighted included the critical habitats and natural habitats; endangered and endemic species; water and downstream effects; reduced flow region; aquatic migratory species; workers and movements; and lands and compensations. A media statement from the Project Office said the presentation also highlighted the implementation of mitigation measures which will include contractual arrangements, reporting and implementation oversight. On the question of how tambu and cultural …

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Roha Tribe Cooperative Society Business Initiative invests in three trucks

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Roha Tribe Cooperative Society Business Initiative invests in three trucks

Members of the Roha Tribe Cooperative Society in Central Guadalcanal last Saturday took delivery of three 3-ton vehicles for their business. During the launching at Kaimomosa village, Chairman of the Roha Cooperative Society Mr Daniel Una, congratulated his members but warned them to take care of the business for the benefit of all Roha members. “These three vehicles don’t belong to me, my executive or a few only. They belong to all of us Roha members. Today, I hand them over to you to look after them for our collective benefit,” he said. A very emotional Una, who broke down …

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Government Hands Over $6.9 Million to Roha Tribe for Tina Hydro

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Roha Tribe members of Central Guadalcanal have received $6.9 million from the government yesterday in a brief handover ceremony in Honiara. In handing over the cheque, Commissioner of Lands Nelson Naopu thanked the executive of the tribe and their members for their support and hard work in getting this far. “I thank you very much for your support in moving the progress of the project this far. On behalf of the government I would like to congratulate you all for continuing to support the work of the government in moving this important project forward. Despite all the hassles, you have …

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Tina Hydro on track to signing a development agreement in 2016

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Tina River Hydro is on track for the signing of a power purchase agreement in 2016. This was confirmed by Hon. David Day Pacha, Minister responsible for Energy and Rural Electrification today in a brief update on the Project. “Tina River Hydro is the single most important project for renewable energy in my portfolio, and I am pleased to confirm that timely progress is being made on the key work streams towards project implementation”. “Technical workstreams are proceeding to schedule, with the final detailed design nearing completion, for submission to the Government in early March. There have been several engineering …

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GPRCL shares business experience with Roha members

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The spin-off businesses being enjoyed by members of the Guadalcanal Plains Resources Development Company Ltd, GPRCL, are inspiring and should be emulated. These were the words of Daniel Una, tribal chief of Roha in Central Guadalcanal. He stressed he and his members were greatly inspired by the short talk given by the Deputy Board Chairman of the GPRDCL James Votaia on Wednesday this week in Honiara.Roha is one of the five tribes that jointly hold the core land of the Tina River Hydro Development Project with Solomon Islands Government. Roha tribe accepted the Offer of Compensation from the Commissioner of …

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Korean Water, Single Bidder for Tina Hydro

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The Solomon Islands Government is now preparing to engage with Korean Water (K-Water) for the development of the Tina River Hydropower Project (TRHDP) in Central Guadalcanal. K-Water was engaged after an international tender process conducted by the International Finance Corporation, IFC, ended at the beginning of 2015.Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare was updated on Monday this week about the turnout of the bids for this significant project by a five member delegation comprising International Financial Corporation officials, Shobana Venkataraman and Deveshta Ratnanayagam, World Bank Country Director, Anne Tully, Tina Hydro Project Manager, Mark France and his deputy, Fred Conning. Ms …

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Investors briefed – TRHDP Tender Heads Internationally

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Eight potential investors who’ve expressed interest in building and operating the Tina River Hydro Project took part in a major project briefing in Honiara, last week. The companies participating in the event were from Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Spain and Sri Lanka. The investor’s forum marked the closing of an Expression of Interest (EOI), part of the International Competitive Tender process seeking Developers for the Tina Hydro Project. The ICT is a transparent process managed by the International Financial Corporation as Financial Transaction Advisors to the Solomon Islands Government on the Tina Hydro Project. Over 100 international companies, …

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Sogavare assured support for Tina River Hydro Project

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Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare has been impressed with the progress made by the Tina Hydro Development Project team when the group met and briefed him on the developments. The group included Project Manager Mark France, Strategic Adviser Paul Roughan and Fred Conning, Technical Adviser. During the briefing, the Prime Minister was told that the Tina Hydro Development has the potential to generate 100 percent of Honiara’s power demand during the wet season or 50 percent during dry season. He was told the US$120 million hydro project will be operational by 2018, if all goes according to plan with the …

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We Support Tina Hydro: Kikolo

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A representative of the Managikiki Community in Bahomea, Central Guadalcanal, says latest activities of the Tina River Hydro project within their communities are very encouraging. Chief Whitlam Kikolo, former chairman of the Bahomea House of Chiefs and strong supporter of the Tina Hydro Project, says road surveys being undertaken now show the project is indeed moving to fruition. “We have seen surveyors moving up and down among communities conducting surveys on the access road so we are once again assured the Tina Hydro project is indeed coming along,” he said. Chief Kikolo said members of the communities have been telling …

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The Tina River experience: Power (only) through partnership

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Genuine partnerships are not just important for sustainable development; they are essential. This has been the lesson of Tina River Hydro in the Solomon Islands, where a flagship renewable energy project is approaching construction. Tina Hydro will displace more than 80 per cent of the electrical energy currently supplied by diesel generation. It is also now beginning to catalyse additional partnerships which are set to enable further sustainable development outcomes, such as the integrated management and protection of large tracts of unique highland rainforest. Both of these themes were shared at a side event on Wednesday at the SIDS Conference …

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Tina River Core Land Owners Give Consent

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The four core landowning tribes of the proposed Tina River Hydro Project have all signed the Process Agreement Wednesday last week to consent to government acquire their land for the Tina Hydro development. Their consent marked the end of several months of negotiations between the core land tribes and the government through the Tina River Hydro Development Project Office. Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo thanked the tribes for their cooperation and understanding in supporting the government in this milestone development. “We see the success in building the hydro pointing to the beginning of a new era in sustainable development in …

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Communities Reinforce Support For Tina Hydro

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Communities in Central Guadalcanal have reiterated their support for the Tina Hydro Project. This was highlighted by chiefs and leaders in eleven communities visited by community awareness workers of the Tina Hydro Project from 2 – 9 December. Chiefs and villagers welcomed the prospect of employment opportunities, community businesses, improved infrastructure such as roads, water, schools and clinics as developments stemming from the Tina Hydro Project. The Tina River Hydro Project is a major national energy project designed to meet 80% of Honiara’s electricity demands. Construction work on the project is expected to start in late 2015 and power is …

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Minister Declares Land Acquisition

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Tina River Hydro Land Acquisition Process The Minister of Lands, Housing and Survey, the Honourable Joseph Onika, has made a declaration that a portion of land is needed for the public purpose of generating hydro-electric power for distribution by Solomon Islands Electricity Authority within Guadalcanal. A copy of the declaration was published in the Solomon Islands’ Government Gazette on 21 August 2014.This declaration begins the acquisition process under Division 2 of Part V of the Land and Titles Act. What is the effect of the declaration? The declaration gives the Commissioner of Lands the right to use and occupy the …

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Tina Signals New Future

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Tina signals a new future for sustainable development in Solomon Islands: PMThe progress of Tina Hydro Project signals a new future for sustainable development in Solomon Islands. The Prime Minister made this statement following the signing of a Process Agreement by customary land owning tribes whose land will be used for the Tina Hydro Project. “The government takes great encouragement from the unprecedented progress of Tina Hydro. We see its success pointing to the beginning of a new era in sustainable development in the country” stated PM Lilo. He went on to pledge the government’s full support towards the project. …

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