Presentation by Pradip Verma

March 2018
Solomon Islands Electricity Authority
Trading as Solomon Power

The views expressed in this presentation are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Asian Development
Bank (ADB), its Board of Directors, or the governments they represent. ADBI does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequences
of their use. Terminology used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.
Solomon Power

 Vertically integrated
 Responsible for generation, transmission, distribution, retail
and regulatory matters
 Operations in Honiara and 11 outstations
 Present in all Provinces except Rendell & Bellona
Key Challenges
 Increasing the accessibility
 Increasing affordability
Number of Customers
 Presently Solomon Power has 17,200 customers
 Solomon Power needs to increase this to 30,000 by 2021
 This will reduce fixed cost per customer
 This will reduce tariffs
Accessibility- present situation

 Only 70% of the population has access to electricity in Honiara

 Only 16% of the population has access to electricity in Solomon
Islands
Standard Mini Hybrid Model
 150 to 300 customers
 Maximum Demand 150 kW to 250 kW
 Cashpower meters(pre-pay)
 2 personnel per site
 Remote controlled from Honiara
Tina River Hydro- status
 15 MW capacity, Dam, 3.2 km long tunnel
 Land has been resolved
 Developer Korea- water
 Concessional financing- ADB, IDA, GCF, IRENA, EDCF
 Negotiations in progress for PPA tariff
Mini Hybrid Farms
 Taro, Choiseul Province (commissioned June 2017)
 224 kW PV, 1.2 MWh battery storage, 150 kW diesel back-up

 Seghe, Western Province (commissioned July 2017)

 160 kW PV, 0.9 MWh battery storage, 150 kW diesel back-up
Taro Mini Hybrid Farm
Taro Mini Hybrid Farm
Seghe Mini Hybrid Farm
Ranadi 50 kW Solar Installation
More Mini Hybrids
 In total 50 mini-hybrid installations in our Plan- prioritised
 Four sites during 2017/2019- business case approved
 Hauhui, Malaita Province- 200 kW PV, 1.2 MWh battery storage
 Namugha, Makira Province- 150 kW PV, 0.9 MWh battery storage
 Sasamunga, Choiseul Province- 200 kW PV, 1.2 MWh battery storage
 Vonunu, Western Province- 150 kW PV, 0.9 MWh battery storage
 Sites for 2018/2020
 Pangoe, Choiseul Province
 Visale & Lambi- Guadalcanal Province
Mini Hybrids- at existing Outstations
 Total 2 MW of Hybrid (Solar, battery storage and diesel back up)
 Funding ADB USD 8.44 m, Solomon Power USD 6.76 m
 At existing outstations in Kirakira, Lata, Malu’u, Munda and
Tulagi
 These will replace the existing only diesel generation systems
 Technical evaluation of tender completed
 Anticipate to execute D&C contract May 2018
Other renewables in service
 Buala 150 kW Mini Hydro
 Displaces 180,000 litres of diesel per annum
 Henderson 1 MW Solar Farm- peak output 850 kW
 Displaces 480,000 litres of diesel per annum
 Ranadi 50 kW Solar Installation
 Displaces 12,000 litres of diesel per annum
Complementing projects
 Output Based Aid Program
 Subsidised service connections & house wiring
 Shall connect 2400 low income customers
 Funded by donors and Solomon Power
 11000 Volt and 415 Volt network extensions
 Increase accessibility and affordability
 Funded by Solomon Power internally
Key challenges for Renewables
 Acquisition of land- complicated, time consuming
 Lack of infrastructure (wharfs, piers, roads etc.)
 Erratic/lack of shipping services
 Lack of air services
 Lifecycle of a Hybrid project is more than 2.5 years