FIJI: Prime Minister opens first wind farm

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Updated October 29, 2007 14:24:46

Fiji's Interim Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama, has officially opened the country's first wind farm. The Butoni Wind Farm at Singatoka on the main island of Viti Levu is a test case for the region, with other Pacific countries watching to see if it lives up to claims that it will produce electricity for less than current diesel generators. The farm is now fully commissioned with 37 wind turbines spread over 48 hectares of land. It has been operating smoothly for more than two months months. Prime Minister Baimarama says the farm is a major step towards Fiji's goal of producing 90-per-cent of its power through renewable resources by 2011.The acting Chief Executive Officer of the Fiji Electricity Authority, Sunil de Silva, told Jemima Garrett the farm is now producing 12 million units of electricity per year.

Presenter: Jemima Garrett
Speakers: Sunil de Silva, acting CEO of the Fiji Electricity Authority

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