Pacific / Tonga

Tonga wind turbines commissioned with help from Japan

12:21 pm on 11 July 2019

Tonga's King has commissioned the country's first large-scale wind farm project in Niutoua Village.

King Tupou VI was joined by Japan's Ambassador to Tonga at yesterday's ceremony.

The new wind turbines at Niutoua Photo: Tonga government

The project took ten months to complete and the 1.3 megawatt wind power system is the first wind power project assisted by Japan's Grant Aid fund.

The government says the turbines will reduce Tonga's reliance on diesel and contribute to secure, affordable, and sustainable clean energy in the Kingdom.

A feature of the new turbines is they can be folded away in advance of bad weather to avoid damage from cyclones.