Te Aponga Uira

Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro (TAU) is a Cook Islands electricity generator, distributor and retailer which provides electricity to the island of Rarotonga. It is responsible for 90% of the Cook Islands' electricity generation. [2] It is a state-owned enterprise, wholly owned by the Cook Islands Government through the Cook Islands Investment Corporation.

Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro
SOE
IndustryElectricity generation
Electricity retailing
PredecessorCook Islands Department of Electric Power Supply
Founded1991 (1991)
Headquarters
Rarotonga
,
Cook Islands
RevenueCI$21,176,109 (2013)[1]
CI$1,643,204 (2013)[1]
OwnerCook Islands Investment Corporation (100%)
Number of employees
54 (2013)[1]
Websiteteaponga.com

Te Aponga Uira was established by the Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro Act 1991.[3] Structured as a perpetual body corporate, it has the statutory objectives of "provid[ing] energy to all consumers in a reliable and economical manner" while operating in "an efficient and profitable manner having due regard to the interests of the community".[4] Upon its creation it took over the assets and liabilities of the Cook Islands' Department of Electric Power Supply.[5] Originally responsible to the Minister of Energy and with statutory advice functions, control was transferred in 1999 to the Cook Islands Investment Corporation, and a social responsibility requirement was imposed.[6] It must also conform to government policy directives, such as the Cook Islands Renewable Electricity Chart.[2]

The company operates two power stations on Rarotonga:

NameTypeLocationCapacity (kW)Derated Capacity (kW)Annual generation
(average TWh)		CommissionedNotes
AvatiuDieselAvatiu121609760[7]
Te Mana O Te RaSolar PVAvarua9609602014

The company had a net metering policy in place since November 2009 to encourage the installation of distributed solar generation,[8] but reversed its policy in 2015 over concerns about grid stability.[9]

During the COVID-19 pandemic the company provided free electricity to its domestic users and discounted electricity to businesses.[10]

See also

References
  1. "TE APONGA UIRA OTUMU TE VAROVARO Annual Report 2012–2013" (PDF). Te Aponga Uira. 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. "About our company". Te Aponga Uira. Archived from the original on 17 December 2016.
  3. "Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro Act 1991". PACLII. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  4. Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro Act 1991, section 14.
  5. Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro Act 1991, section 30.
  6. Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro Amendment Act 1999
  7. In 2013
  8. "Start made on sustainable energy initiatives". Cook Islands News. 7 January 2010. Archived from the original on 16 May 2013.
  9. "Energy goal out of reach". Cook Islands News. 22 March 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  10. Jonathan Milne (18 March 2020). "Free power to the people". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.