Electricity Utilities

Under the Utilities Regulatory Authority Act, a utility is a person or entity that generates and supplies electricity to customers and is considered as a utility and is subject to the regulations under the URA Act.

There are different categories of electricity utilities operating in Vanuatu:

  • Concessionaires 
  • Electricity Cooperatives 
  • Community -Operated electric systems 

Electricity Concessionaires

A concessionaire is an entity that has a concession agreement with the government to generate, supply, and sell electricity within its concession area. There are three (3) concessionaires currently in operation in Vanuatu.

Utility Name (Location) Total Number of Customers Total Installed Capacity (kW) Generation Mix Base Price vt/kWh
UNELCO - Efate 16 218 26,600
  • Diesel
  • Wind
  • Solar
68.46
Vanuatu Utilities and Infrastructure (VUI) Ltd - Santo 4679 4270
  • Diesel
  • Hydro
52.32
Vanuatu Utilities and Infrastructure (VUI) Ltd- Maewo 235 80
  • Hydro
52.32
Vanuatu Utilities and Infrastructure (VUI) Ltd - Vanua Lava 107 80
  • Diesel
52.32
Vanuatu Utilities and Infrastructure (VUI) Ltd - Ambae 139 108
  • Diesel
52.32
Vanuatu Power and Water Authority (VANPAWA) - Tanna Not available 550
  • Diesel
  • Solar
 55
Vanuatu Power and Water Authority (VANPAWA) - Malekula Not available 710
  • Diesel
  • Solar
55
Wintua Lorlow Cooperative - Malekula 116 75
  • Diesel
  • Solar
41.42

Loltong Hybrid System - Pentecost

97 8.8
  • Hydro
  • Solar
  • Diesel
88.46

 

 

Electricity Cooperatives

Electricity Cooperatives are mainly rural hybrid mini-grid systems that have been established under the Cooperative Societies Act Cap 152 and administered by the Office of the Register of Cooperatives and Business Development Services. An electricity cooperative operates on shares from members as well as from revenue generated from URA-determined tariffs. The following are Electricity Cooperatives that are now operating in Vanuatu.

Community Operated Mini-grids

Electricity committees operate and manage Community Operated systems. These are usually very small networks comprising mainly residential customers located in areas where a cooperative is non-existent or considered dormant due to social or financial factors. The Authority ensures that the costs required for the committee to operate and staff to maintain the system are reflected in the tariff. These are community-operated electricity networks in Vanuatu.

Independent Power Producer (IPP)

The Authority ensures that any PPA price agreed to between a utility and an IPP is within the conditions set when the URA determined the tariff for the incumbent utility after the agreed PPA price. The following are IPPs that are now operating within utility-operated grids in Vanuatu.

  • Government IPP
    • Island location: Efate
    • IPP: Ministry of Climate Change 
    • Total Installed Capacity: 761kW

    • Island location: Santo
    • IPP: Lycee de Luganville
    • Total Installed Capacity: 13 kW

    • Island location: Santo
    • IPP: Sanma Province 
    • Total Installed Capacity: 13 kW

    • Island location: Santo
    • IPP: Northern District Hospital (NDH)
    • Total Installed Capacity: 13 kW