Energy Fiji Limited is preparing for the worst as the country braces for a likely El Nino situation.

El Niño events are associated with warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific and usually result in reduction of Fiji’s rainfall.

Often, the whole of Fiji is affected in varying degrees with the possibility of parts of the country experiencing a prolonged dry spell.

That extra heat alters weather patterns, raising temperatures globally.

EFL chief executive officer Hasmukh Patel said they had acquired gensets in their bid to prepare for the worst case scenario.

A genset container is an engine that drives the generator, which provides the power used to run other equipment.

“We are making sure that when we get into the El Nino situation, we do not come into a hault with services because there is no more water in the dam,” Mr Patel said.

“We will ensure that we continue to generate electricity to our customers.

“We have already implemented or shall I say we have got into a contract with a company to start getting in gensets as we prepare for the worst.”

He said the impacts were being experienced, as they did not collect much rainfall during the recent rainy season.

“We normally have this El Nino impact every ten years,” Mr Patel said.

“After the Monasavu scheme was commissioned in 1982, the first we had it was in 1992 than in 2003 and in 2014.

“The prediction is that we are likely to experience severe El Nino starting at the end of this year.”

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