Saving lives with reliable electricity in Samoa
Vital health care facilities One aspect of the project sought to improve the supply of electricity to hospitals, clinics, and other vital health care facilities. This involved the expansion of the national hospital power supply on the main island of Upolu. The project also put electricity transmission wires underground to avoid disruption caused by storms and disasters. The project has helped the government and private power providers to deliver sustainable, reliable electricity services to consumers in Samoa, with a particular focus on the poor. This has improved the quality of life for many people in Samoa and improved basic social services, such as health care, education, and water supply. Investing in the power sector Samoa’s Electric Power Corporation is now operating more efficiently. Its financial performance has also improved, which means that it will be able to provide reliable power for a longer period of time. The corporation is also increasing investment in power plants that will help meet future demand. The laws that govern the power sector have been streamlined and improved to encourage private investment, which is needed to keep electricity service dependable and sustainable. Tupai Mau Simanu, a project engineer with Electric Power Corporation, noted that power outages were more than an inconvenience at hospitals in Samoa. They endangered lives. “It is because of the project that we were able to improve the reliability of electricity for the national hospital,” he said. “This has had a direct impact on improving health care services.” (Asian Development Bank)