The HydroTimor weBlog

We knew it was supposed to happen, but were still left with an unreal feeling, realising the time actually was here Sunday 28 June 2009: “Mr Alf” Adeler left East Timor.

Don’t misunderstand, we realise that after many years working very hard for HydroTimor, Mr Alf needs to go back to his family in Norway and resume life with his wife, children and grand-children, and we wish him all the best! It’s just that after his major contribution to the development of East Timor, we have to wonder what lies next, how do we carry on his legacy?

New people will come and continue the development of hydroelectric power and hydrology, and we are confident they will do a great job. But there is no doubt that an era is over. We have witnessed something special, something great, something beautiful, and we are grateful and touched. For all you have done, Mr Alf we thank you, and know that we will miss you!

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (Bouvet Foundation)

Kassius Klei, our Programme Manager for the institutional cooperation between Timor-Leste and Norway within the power sector, who has worked with us for more than four years, will leave us for a period for further studies.

Kassius has got a scholarship from Norway to study for his Master degree within Energy at the School of Environmental Resources and Development at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Thailand. He will be away for a period of two years, and will thereafter join us with even more competency than today.

We congratulate Kassius with his scholarship, and wish him all the best during his studies. And we look forward to have him back with us after the two years. We hope he will send regular information to our blog! Best luck, Kassius!

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (Bouvet Foundation)

After the large soil sinking in Gariuai, which damaged the penstock of the mini hydroelectric power plant, we have called upon two specialist teams to make survey, and propose solutions for a fast and safe repair of the penstock.

The first team came in March, and the second in May 2009, short time after the accident.

Reports are expected within mid June. Thereafter we will prepare to start the repair work. The delivery time for parts etc for the penstock is some months, but other preparations can be made in the meantime.

Gariuai is such a good mini hydropower plant, assisting the supply of electricity to a large area. We will do all our best to have it up running as soon as possible.

Luckily, only the penstock was affected by the soil sinking. The power house and operator’s building, the store, both dams and the transmission line are ok!

Extension of the office for HydroTimor and the National Directorate for Water Resources Management is progressing.

For more than two years now the part of Ministry of Infrastructure dealing with hydrology and hydropower, called by our self for HydroTimor, has had the office in a small building at the Electricidade de Timor-Leste (EDTL) premises in Caicoli, Dili.

Since we have been merged with the National Directorate for Water Resources Management, the office space has become too small.

Norway granted during the Annual Meeting 2009 an amount sufficient to enlarge the office building to cater for at least 20 persons in good working facilities, and to purchase
office furniture and other equipment.

After a tendering process, the local company Baboe from Dili was the winner, and started construction work at the middle of April 2009. The plan is to complete the building before the 22 June 2009. The consultant for the construction is Lemorai Lafoti Consultant from Dili.

The work is progressing according to schedule, and will when completed make the old, small office to a large, nice office building. Emphasis has been made to make it a strong building, which is large, but without looking like a very large building.

By sitting together, the complete National Directorate for Water Resources Management will become an efficient unit, working close together, ready to serve others in Timor-Leste who will need data from us, and to assist to develop Timor-Leste in the right way!

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (Bouvet Foundation)

It took around four years, and quite a lot of follow-up, but finally the two HydroTimor staff Mr Kassius Klei Ximenes (Programme Manager and Counterpart) and Ms Maria Mendonca Moniz (Accountant and Office Manager) became Cicil Servants and formally hired by the Ministry for Infrastructure (MIS).

The inauguration ceremony took place at the EDTL compound in Caicoli 24 March 2009, and was attended by MIS representatives including Minister Mr Pedro da Silva Lay, Vice Minister Mr Jose Manuel Carascalao, and Secreatary of State for Electricity, Water and Urbanization Mr Januario da Costa Pereira, among others.

A total of 99 MIS employees became civil servants during the ceremony. This included 8 at level 1, 17 at level 2, 39 at level 3, 23 at level 4, 8 at level 5, and 4 at level 6.

From left: Mr Inacio Leite, Ms Gina Correia, Ms Maria Mendonca Moniz, Mr Kassius Klei Ximenes, Mr Belarmino Freitas

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (Bouvet Foundation)

The production of electricity in the Gariuai Mini Hydroelectric Power Plant has been stopped due to land movement along some parts of the area the penstock passes through.

About a month ago, the penstock in Gariuai started to move, and a part of it was lifted above the ground. This is an unusual happening, and caused a small leakage in the penstock, which immediately was emptied. Shortly thereafter, a large area of 150–200 decare suddenly sunk 2–3 metres, and the penstock was in some places pulled apart. The land that sunk has got big cracks, and some of these cracks are slowly expanding. We are now measuring the expansion of some of the cracks, with both horizontal and vertical movements.

Geotechnical experts are presently working at the site trying to find the reason for the natural disaster, as well as identifying possible actions to avoid further damaging developments, and finding a way for the penstock to cross the exposed area.

Gariuai Mini Hydroelectric Power Plant will remained closed down until the penstock has been repaired.

The access road to the disaster area has been cut off by the land movements. A project team is presently assessing the damages and will recommend further action.

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (Bouvet Foundation)

Motion, a Bar, Restaurant & Lounge in Dili which shows film (with free popcorn!) every Wednesday night, screened the Gariuai film the 11 March 2009.

The film was introduced by Programme Manager Kassius Klei together with Special Adviser Alf Adeler, and they also answered questions from the audience afterwards. The film’s creator, Basil Rolandsen of the Bouvet Foundation also participated (and obviously enjoying the popcorn…).

“Gariuai Mini Hydroelectric Power Project” was produced for HydroTimor on behalf of the Ministry for Infrastructure, and “presents the entire process of construction of the important renewable energy source for Timor-Leste from commencement to inauguration”, to quote the flyer, where Motion urged potential audience “Don’t miss this new public interest film!”

Interested in this film can download it from the HydroTimor website, where also a brochure and other information may be found.

Photos: Basil Rolandsen (Bouvet Foundation)

The Power Sector Annual Meeting between Timor-Leste and Norway was conducted 26 February 2009 in the new EDTL Conference Centre. An institutional cooperation within the power sector was initiated in 2003, and includes the Timor-Leste Ministry for Infrastructure and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE).

Activities until now include significant human resources training and development, feasibility studies for hydropower projects (including Iralalaru in Lautem), one mini hydroelectric power plant with transmission line constructed (Gariuai in Baucau), and initial installation of a new national hydrological network.

The Annual Meeting requested Norway to continue the institutional cooperation with Timor-Leste for a new period of 5 years, starting June 2009. The main effort should be within human resources development, hydroelectric power planning and construction, and within hydrology.

Priorities include completion of a hydrological network, to cover all of Timor-Leste. A data storing and handling model should be purchased and installed, and people trained to support hydrological data for projects in need of such data.

Another aim is to start the pre-feasibility study for a new mini/small hydroelectric power project around mid 2009.

A complete Hydropower Master Plan for Timor-Leste will be developed as part of the cooperation, and this work is intended to start within this year. This plan will map the available water resources in the country, and analyse possibilities for construction of more hydroelectric power plants. This will be an important resource for developing more clean and renewable energy in the years to come.

The ongoing feasibility study for the Atsabe small hydroelectric power project (in Ermera) is progressing, and the plan is to implement this as a cooperation and training project between Timor-Leste and Norway. The TL government expressed an interest for a co-financing agreement with Norway. Necessary documentation should be completed and decisions made within this year, with construction to be started shortly thereafter!

The 10 November 2008 was a big event for both Timor-Leste and Norway. The first hydropower station in Timor-Leste was opened after a construction period of 3 years! The power plant is a gift from Norway to Timor-Leste, and is constructed as a pilot and training project by local people from Gariuai Sucu, with monitoring support from Norway. The opening was celebrated with a big party at the power house area, with traditional dancing, handing over of tais and a lot of speeches.

More than 200 people participated both from Timor-Leste and from abroad. Among the Timorese participants were the leader of the Parliament, Mr FernandoLasama; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Zacarias Albano da Costa; the Minister for Infrastructure, Mr Pedro Lay; the Secretary of State for Electricity, Water and Urbanization, Mr Januario Pereira; the leader for the Baucau administration, Mr Antonio; and the Gariuai Sucu Leader Maria de Jesus Belo. From Norway participated the Norwegian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, Mr Eivind Homme; the Chargee d’Affairs Ms Eva Irene Tuft; Embassy First Secretary Mr Tor Morten Sneve; the Director General of Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE), Mr Agnar Aas; the former Bishop of Norway, Mr Gunnar Staalseth; and representatives from the Consultant among others. Also World Bank, ADB, the supplier of the power house equipment Wasser Kraft Volk from Germany, many Embassies with their Ambassadors or other high level people, and many NGOs participated. Basil Rolandsen from the Bouvet Foundation was as usual busy filming the event.

The Sucu leader, Ms Maria Belo made the opening speech, and expressed gratitude for the hydropower project being implemented in her area, and for the benefit of already giving work for more than 1500 different persons, both women and men, over more than three years. This project introduces the cheap, clean and renewable energy source of hydropower to Timor-Leste!

Other speeches were made by the leader of the Parliament, the Minister for Infrastructure, The Director General of NVE and the consultants. Mr Kassius Klei, the Programme Manager and Mr Alf V Adeler, the Senior Adviser introduced details about the project for the audience.

A formal startup of the power plant was made by the leader of the Parliament, the Minister for Infrastructure and the Norwegian Ambassador to Timor-Leste, under guidance from Programme Manager Kassius Klei.

After startup, a good lunch was served. A local band played and local dancers performed. The party continued for a long time, and participants from all the 8 aldeias in Gariuai participated.

The Power Plant startup was a success, and electricity was connected to the local grid through the new 4 km transmission line, also constructed by the project. Together with the Baucau diesel power plant, electricity could then be supplied to all Baucau district 24 hours every day, with no load shedding and with a better quality.

For more details about the Gariuai Mini Hydroelectric Power Project, please see the website, where in addition to general and technical information, downloadable copies of the brochure (in .pdf format) as well as the video (introductory and full versions) may be found.

Photos: Basil Rolandsen (Bouvet Foundation)

The power house in Gariuai has been cabled! All instruments as well as the 20 kV transmission lines have been connected, and the commissioning of the station has been performed by technicians Dietmar Fischer and Bernhard Wernet from the equipment supplier, Wasserkraft Volk in Germany.

The completion of the cabling means that the testing of the penstock (pipes from intake to station), power station and power lines connecting the station to the grid may start. This testing, which involves operation of the station, will go on until November, when the station is expected to be handed over to the EDTL and in normal operations.

National Director for Water and Sanitation Gregorio de Araujo (right) visited the station while trainees from EDTL together with HydroTimor staff (here Joaquim Ximenes) connected instruments.
Photo: Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvet.info)

The 1770 m signal cable going from the Builai intake to the power house is now installed. The cable needed to be stretched through pipes buried in the ground, as the cable passes through cultivated land, and also in order to protect the environment. This challenge involved several teams coordinating their pulling, and was completed over two (long) days.

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvet.info)

The 4 km 20 kV transmission line from the Gariuai power station to the main grid has been upgraded to comply with new requests. It should now be ready for hand-over to EDTL, the national electricity company.

Photo: Basil Rolandsen (www.bouvet.info)