Te Aponga Uira (TAU) is about to begin a project to replace some of its critical infrastructure (generation switch gear) in its generation site. The work will require some unavoidable outages to electricity supply in Rarotonga in May & June. TAU is mindful of the impact on its customers so detail of the times and dates will be published as soon as possible. Outages are being carefully planned for minimal disruption to residents and visitors.

Switchgear sits at the heart of the electricity generation hardware, connecting generation to demand. TAU operates two switch rooms, which are connected to enable reliable supply to Rarotonga.

The switch gear in one of its switch rooms is over 30 years old and has enabled TAU to provide reliable electricity to homes and businesses in Rarotonga over that time. It has come to the end of its life and needs replacing.

The replacement switch gear will not only enable the supply of reliable electricity for years to come, but its modern features mean in the longer term it will be capable of supporting increased renewable energy use.

“Rarotonga and its visitors enjoy one of the most reliable electricity supplies in the Pacific, and this infrastructure upgrade will ensure the people of Rarotonga can continue to benefit from this reliability for years to come,” said Lesley Katoa, TAU Chief Executive Officer.

“We will shortly advertise the timings of planned outages which are unavoidable while the work takes place. Account holders will receive emails with the dates and times of planned outages, and we will also advertise these on our website, through the media, and through social media. Although we are planning for 1 – 3 hours of outage time, we cannot guarantee this for this type of work and so we encourage those who rely on uninterrupted electricity to ensure they have sufficient back up generation in working order.”

A dedicated team of specialists from TAU, Rarotonga, and New Zealand, has been working on this complex project for some time, and is gathering to deliver the physical infrastructure replacement work over coming weeks.

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