OIREP

Outer Island Renewable Energy Project in the Kingdom of Tonga

Dear All,

OIREP stands for "Outer Island Renewable Energy Project". It focuses on the Outer Islands of Tonga. This includes: 'Eua, Ha'apai, Vava'u and the two Niuas. It is executed by the Ministry of Finance and National Planning (MFNP) and implementing by the Energy Department of the Ministry of MEIDECC. It currently consists of 2 personnels in its Project Management Unit (PMU), who are the Project Manager and Social Gender Development and Monitoring. OIREP is funding by DFAT, EU, Denmark, GEF and ADB. It aims to:

i. Reduce Tonga's dependency on oil; ii. Reduce its exposure to its price volatility and; iii. Increasing the availability and affordability of electricity to its inhabitants.

The Project has 4 phases:
Phase 1 has completed which emphasized on the on-grid generation of Lifuka, 'Eua and Vava'u.
Phase 2 is focusing on off-grid generation at 'Uiha, Nomuka, Ha'ano, Ha'afeva, Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ou.
Phase 3 is operating in 'Eua and Vava'u to rehabilitate on-grid networks.
Phase 4 will be the rehabilitation of Niuatoputapu's mini-grid distribution network to take the power from the newly installed centralized solar farm to the households.

Among these Phases is the Gender and Social Dimensions of the Project. This includes consultations, trainings, social and environmental safeguards activities. There’s a Gender Action Plan where the empowerment of women, men, boys and girls through practicing of the concepts of gender equality, equity and balance to exercise within the OIREP activities.

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