Te Aponga Uira

Te Aponga Uira O Tumu-Te-Varovaro
Company typeSOE
IndustryElectricity generation
Electricity retailing
PredecessorCook Islands Department of Electric Power Supply
Founded1991; 34 years ago (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 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 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:

Name Type Location Capacity (kW) Derated Capacity (kW) Annual generation
(average TWh)		 Commissioned Notes
Avatiu Diesel Avatiu 12160 9760 [7]
Te Mana O Te Ra Solar PV Avarua 960 960 2014

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. ^ a b c "TE APONGA UIRA OTUMU TE VAROVARO Annual Report 2012–2013" (PDF). Te Aponga Uira. 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b "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.