EPC Power Outages More Serious than first announced

Apia, Samoa – 25 March 2025 – The current power outages are expected to continue for some time as the extent of the problems within the Electric Power Corporation paint a bleak picture than what the public was first told.

After weeks of public anger due to the lack of information from the government, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa came out yesterday afternoon saying, “It is necessary for the government to provide an update for public awareness regarding the difficulties currently faced by the Electric Power Corporation.”

She went on to say that “It has been observed that our nation has been significantly affected by frequent power outages, particularly impacting households, businesses, and the various villages in Upolu.”

When the major problem surfaced four weeks ago, EPC pointed to a major fault of the underground cable between the Fiaga Power station and the Fuluasou. Since then, overhead powerlines have been installed to carry the load.

The public have now been told that there are more problems contributing to the electricity rationing as three (3) key generators failed and some are without parts that will take at least 12 months to obtain.

Meanwhile, EPC is requesting “the support of businesses, large corporations, hotels, and government offices that have backup generators to utilize them during peak electricity demand periods—from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM and from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM.”

Some Government ministries have also purchased their own standby generators due to the impact of the outages to the flow and delivery of the service they provide to the public.

The Prime Minister said the Causes of the Power disruptions and outages since February 2025, were due to 3l key factors:

1. Underground Cable Failures – A major fault in the main underground cable between Fiaga and Fuluasou led to a total blackout across Upolu on February 23. Another section of the same cable failed on February 25, requiring further repairs before power could be restored.
2. Severe Weather – Heavy storms on March 9 caused extensive damage to power lines and poles, leading to widespread outages across the island.
3. Generator Breakdowns – On March 15, three key generators failed, significantly reducing power generation:

• Fiaga No.1 Diesel Engine (5 MW) – A piston failure requires repairs that will take 10 to 12 months due to part shortages.
• Tanugamanono No.7 Diesel Engine (3 MW) – A turbocharger issue requires four weeks of repair.
• Taelefaga No.1 Hydro Plant (2 MW) – A bearing failure needs three months of repair work.

With a total loss of 10 MW in power supply, EPC had to introduce a power rationing schedule starting March 16, 2025, to manage the limited electricity available.

Solutions to Address the Issue
EPC has implemented the following 4 measures to address the power crisis:

• Emergency Power Supply – Five rental generators (5 MW total) will arrive by April 5, 2025, to help with the power shortage.
• New Diesel Generators – The government is finalizing the purchase of two diesel generators (4 MW) from HNAC, China, expected to arrive in August 2025.
• Repairs in Progress – Work continues on restoring the Tanugamanono No.7 and Taelefaga No.1 generators, which will add 5 MW once completed.
• Renewable Energy Expansion – A 10 MW solar farm with a 10 MWh battery storage system is set to launch in December 2025, increasing energy capacity by 20%.