Are we responsible for blackout heaven?
We have now narrowed this down in successive editorials because while there may not be solutions in the short-term, even the long-term is taking long enough to show any progress. We think we are. Figures we received last week from within PPL indicate we are a major part to the greater problem affecting the provider. Estimated monthly revenue is getting chopped up by continuous illegal power connections. Even PNG Power cannot police these connections effectively. With revenue losses even reaching close to 50 per cent for various urban centres, it seems the theft is widespread to a point it has infected a large part of the customer base. Finding its way back from that, PPL would have a very large task on its hands considering consumers are already used to not paying for their power for years. Getting them to start paying or reporting theft again will prove challenging. To measure the gravity of this blackout country status, there are even advertising campaigns relating to the blackout culture that exist in the country. One major hotel group in the capital uses its advertising campaign along the line of being tired of blackouts and water cuts in Port Moresby from the outset already paints the picture of Port Moresbys unlivable position in the recent debate regarding a global livability index. The mere fact they are being used as a selling point for business as well borders alongside a sorry state of what should be the enabler of development. The long story short is we all have not figured this out yet. The web of issues facing our State owned electricity supplier sees that any attempt to change it for the better will keep hitting an opposing wall. A change in management hits union issues, government intervention, a change in government hits vice versa. It will take a rather brave government to make a stand in this sensitive and vital sector of the country. Any sell to PPL should be one well thought out to the least. At least our other important utility companies in Eda Ranu and Water PNG merger was done from existing State Owned Entities. It would have to take on a brave investor in this space. A former minister responsible for the water utilities merger indicated their existence has never been too much of a money making one, citing the difficultly in attracting external interest in the space. We would like to think the same because with one of the lowest tariffs compared globally alongside the understanding of government servicing and servant hood, and with rampant theft rife in a large portion of its customer base. PNG collectively is responsible for this current state we find ourselves in.