To meet the growing electricity needs in the Central Division, the Fiji Electricity Authority is looking at the feasibility of constructing a hydro-electric scheme in Waivaka, Navua.

FEA chairman Nizam-ud-Dean revealed this during the commissioning of the Wainisavulevu Weir Raising Project yesterday.

“If it is possible to build one, then it is great because that would supply electricity to the central region,” Mr ud-Dean said.

“Monasavu supplies one line to Lautoka-Vuda and one line to Suva-Cunningham.

“So if we lose that line to Suva, basically we don’t have sufficient capacity in Suva to support that whole load.

“This would mean industries will suffer and it will be a big economic loss,” he said.

“In order to prevent that from happening, we have put in an extra diesel power station in Kinoya which will be opened next month,” Mr Dean said.

“The purpose of that is simply we need to support Suva and it really is a back-up sort of thing.

“However, the whole problem is we only have one power line going there and if we have that Waivaka one, it will fit into the grid.”

He further explained: “Instead of it all coming from one station, we will have it coming from Navua as well. We would like to see how it can be done – whether we can do it or someone else can.”

He said at the same time, FEA was also looking at the possibility of adding on to the Nadarivatu Hydro Electric Scheme and this will be for Qaliwana.

“That is a very big project. So at this stage, we are leaving it for the future because the new boards will come in and might look at it,” he said.

Currently FEA is conducting feasibility studies and getting all the information ready to tap into in the future.

Feasibility phase

FEA has just called for tenders for people to come in and do the feasibility studies for Waivaka.

However, as far as the Qaliwana is concerned, preliminary studies are going on now and information is being gathered.

A New Zealand company is doing the feasibility phase.