Talise Hydroelectric Project

Project Summary: Pelena was originally engaged to undertake Stage 1, generation only. This was completed in 2014. Subsequently, Pelena was engaged to undertake State 2, transmission. As part of Stage 2, Pelena decided to connect electricity to the two boarding schools and the clinic. This was commissioned in 2018. Stage 3 involves the electrical connection to all the houses and other buildings. Funding for Stage 3 has yet to be sourced.

Country: Vanuatu

Location: Villages of Talise, Narovorovo and Nasawa, Maewo Island, Penama Province

Commissioned: Generation: 03 July 2014, Transmission: 29 July 2018

Turbine: Pelena 2-nozzle Pelton turbine with belt drive to alternator

Electrical Rating: 75kW (electrical)

Client: Vanuatu Department of Energy

Turbine Supplier: Pelena Energy

Civil Works Design: Pelena Energy

Civil Works: Pelena Energy and Talise community

Weir: Pelena Energy and Talise community

Hydraulic Works Design: Pelena Energy

Hydraulic Works: Pelena Energy and Talise community

Controls: Pelena Energy

Electrical Works: Pelena Energy and Talise community

Photos

Talise Technical Officer John Brandy Aru inspecting the alternator.

Rolling 1200kg drum of 11kV underground cable up beach before Cyclone Hola hit.

Francis Salemalo in discussions with Nixon Silas, Pelena's Technical Officer from Solomon Islands, about the unique, yet simple, installation of a transmission post footing.

Talise preschool.

Wheeling cement along the main coastal road. Talise river, coastline and Talise Nakamal in background.

Electrical trainee technicians, Frerry Boe and Venton Sale, wiring one of the classrooms at Sulua School.

Students at Sulua (boarding) School digging hole for anchor block for streetlight post.

Carrying energy home. Firewood is used extensively for cooking in the rural areas.

The Talise Hydro Management Committee organised community members to provide food parcels to the workers in the field. Here Peter Lynch (Pelena Energy) and some community members enjoy their naturally wrapped parcel of hot food.

Students and staff at Sulua School all eager to dig the trenches for the underground electrical cables to connect to classrooms, dormitories and eating halls.

Peter Lynch (with hat) discussing the operation manual with the Talise Technical Officers.

All hands on to assemble a 2-nozzle Pelena Pelton turbine.

Florrie Boerahu helping assemble the Pelena turbine.

Pelena turbines can be disassembled to allow manual carrying to sites without the need to construct expensive roads and bridges for vehicles.

Nixon Silas and Peter Lynch discussing proposed 11kV transmission route through coconut plantation.

Rolling 1200kg drum of 11kV underground cable up beach before Cyclone Hola hit.

Francis Salemalo in discussions with Nixon Silas, Pelena's Technical Officer from Solomon Islands, about the unique, yet simple, installation of a transmission post footing.

Nixon Silas (right), Pelena's Technical Officer from Solomon Islands, training local technicians at Talise about alternator diode replacement.

Village life - carrying swamp taro from gardens (Talise river in background).

This one metre deep trench was dug by hand. It later housed three underground electrical cables, bringing the electricity from the turbine to the communities.

The whole community was involved in running-out the underground 11kV cable. The cable drum was unspooled at a central location. People were spaced at 10 metre intervals to carry the cable to its final location along the trench.

Unspooling one of the 11kV underground cables.

First streetlight on at Talise village! (05 July 2018)

The boys dormitory at Sulua School enjoying the lights.

Unloading 850kg step up transformer from landing craft onto the rocky beach at Narovorovo using Pelena's versatile equipment trolley.

The whole community was involved in running-out the underground 11kV cable. The cable drum was unspooled at a central location. People were spaced at 10 metre intervals to carry the cable to its final location along the trench. Excessive rain from Cyclone Hola made the going tough.

The whole community is involved in Pelena's projects, and enjoys doing it! Skill development at any age is valuable.

Pelena supplied a rubber mat to assist in unloading equipment from the landing craft onto the rocky beach at Narovorovo village.

Pelena's versatile trolley being used to carry one of five step-down transformers up the rocky beach at Narovorovo village from the landing craft.

All community members involved in unloading the landing craft at Narovorovo village.

Pelena stainless steel Pelton turbine runner being installed. (01 July 2014) Splitters on this Pelton runner were not sharpened so as to extend runner life with minimal effect on performance.

Installing the security fence around the 100kVA step-up transformer.

Peter Lynch and Peter Salemalo celebrating lights on at Nasawa School. (31 July 2018)

Talise Hydro Technical Officers John Brandy and Venton Sale starting turbine. John is lifting the jet deflector at the turbine and Venton is monitoring the frequency during the start up procedure. Note the transparent casing of the electrical control board. This allows up and coming technicians the opportunity to safely observe and learn about the operation of the hydro.

Florrie Boerahu turning on one of the streetlights at Sulua School. (05 July 2018)

Nurse Mary Malau turning on the main switch for the electrical meterbox and switchboard for the Nasawa Clinic. (29 July 2018)

Members of the Talise communities pulling a strap connected to an overhead cable. 2018

Media Reports

2018 May 2 – Cyclones and volcano hamper hydro project

2014 July 19 – Pelena Energy praised for Talise Hydro work

2014 July 19 – Power to village people