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Our people are at the heart of our work, and we focus on ensuring all households and businesses in PNG will have access to reliable and affordable electricity in the near future. The Authority’s core functions are policy making and regulation of the energy market, including electricity and downstream gas industry, under the energy laws in PNG.
The Authority has the primary task of delivering the National Energy Policy target of providing 70% of households in PNG with electricity by 2030 and 100% by the 2050. We are obliged to reciprocate the good will of PNG Electrification Partnership (PEP) countries and other partners by providing uninhibited and hands-on approach into all energy programs in PNG as agreed in the 2018 APEC and other arrangements.
NEA exists to implement the National Energy Policy 2017 – 2027 to provide electricity for all households and businesses in PNG, by harnessing renewable energy sources and downstream gas industry in a sustainable way and for the prosperity of PNG.
NEA exists to implement the National Energy Policy 2017 – 2027 to provide electricity for all households and businesses in PNG, by harnessing renewable energy sources and downstream gas industry in a sustainable way and for the prosperity of PNG.
The Authority was established by virtue of the National Energy Authority Act 2021. Formerly the Energy Wing of the Department of Petroleum and Energy, the call for its separation gained momentum preceding the launching of the National Energy Policy 2017- 2027.
The National Energy Policy highlighted two vital points which given the scenario then, was obvious that without direct intervention by the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) the energy dilemma of PNG would remain unresolved.
The first being that the underdeveloped abundant renewable energy sources would remain immature and the second being the impoverished status of the country’s electricity infrastructure.
The National Energy Policy pointed out that renewable energy sources must be harnessed to provide an accessible and affordable electricity for households by sustainable means.
The National Energy Authority Act establishes the Authority and defines its functions as the economic and technical regulator of the energy industry in PNG.
1963 was the year that electricity became available for domestic and commercial use in PNG and since then its access and development has reached only a meagre 13% in 2017. The government in realizing ‘Energy’ as the vital link to the country’s economic prosperity set in its Vision 2050 the target of 70% of households to be electrified by 2030 and 100% through renewables by 2050.
The National Energy Policy 2017-2027 was developed to pave way for reform in the energy sector which calls for the establishment of the National Energy Authority through the enactment of the National Energy Authority Act 2021. In July 2021, after gazettal and in line with the NEA Act, an interim senior management team lead by the from Deputy Director Mr Vore Veve of the former Energy Wing of the Department of Petroleum and Energy was appointed as the Interim Managing Director to take lead in the establishment of the new Authority.
By November 2021, the SCMC approved the Organizational Structure. In January 2022, NEC appointed a new acting Managing Director Mr Ronald Meketa who eventually become the first permanent Managing Director of the National Energy Authority in November 2022. Also in 2022, NEC appointed the first NEA board which is now responsible for the general governance for the Authority. By end of year 2022,
NEA will have established its corporate governance, legal and policy framework include projects and community engagement programs to achieve the National Government ambition to provide electricity services to 70% of the households by 2030 and 100% by 2050.