30 Nov 2018

American Samoan power costs expected to drop

3:42 pm on 30 November 2018

The cost of electricity is expected to drop significantly once the American Samoa Power Authority's two multi-million dollar solar projects are completed.

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Photo: 123rf

ASPA's Wallen Young has told cabinet members that ASPA has signed a contract for 20-megawatts of solar generation for Tutuila.

The acting executive director said the authority was also in the process of awarding another contract, for 42-megawatts of wind generation.

He said these were two significantly large projects will cost up to $US147 million.

Mr Young said the public will benefit from the projects.

"When these two projects are completed, ASPA's projection cost or the purchasing cost of power from these investors will be around 11 cents a kilowatt hour. Electricity prices compared to today, will be 30 to 40 percent lower and it will go on for 25 years."

Wallen Young said that ASPA currently spends about over $27 million on overseas diesel every year, but when the two new projects are completed, more than 50 percent of the that money will stay in the local economy.