Power Sector Annual Meeting
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!