A village in Samoa has rejected a lucrative hydro power project for its river out of concern for the environment.
Photo: 123rf
The government-owned Electric Power Corporation approached the council of Falease'ela in Lefaga district about using the Liua-le-vai-o-Sina river for power generation.
According to the Samoa Observer newspaper, the president of the village's conservation committee, Talaolevavau Ualesi, said they had met with the electricity provider who offered half a million tala a year and then later on $US8000 a year.
Talaolevavau said the village did some research and visited places that already had hydro electric operations.
She said they saw the impact on the environment and decided against the proposal.