Project Data Sheet
Project 49450-012
Project Data Sheet
Project 49450-012
| Project Name | Renewable Energy Project | ||||||||||||
| Project Number | 49450-012 | ||||||||||||
| Country / Economy | Tonga |
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| Project Status | Active | ||||||||||||
| Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Grant |
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| Source of Funding / Amount |
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| Strategic Agendas | Environmentally sustainable growth Inclusive economic growth |
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| Drivers of Change | Gender Equity and Mainstreaming Knowledge solutions Partnerships Private sector development |
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| Sector / Subsector | Energy / Electricity transmission and distribution - Renewable energy generation - solar |
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| Gender | Effective gender mainstreaming | ||||||||||||
| Description | Tonga Renewable Energy Project (TREP) has three components: (i) a large BESS capacity on Tongatapu to ensure that the intermittent electricity generated from solar photovoltaic and wind power to be funded by private independent power producers can be stored and used overnight without negatively affecting Tonga Power Limited's grids; (ii) electricity generation from the most feasible renewable resources in Tonga in Eua and Vava'u islands, and in five outer islands (O'ua, Tungua, Kotu, Mo'unga'one, and Niuafo'ou); and (iii) grid technologies and management upgrade to adapt to new electricity sources in five outer islands. The project also includes capacity building and project management support, with an emphasis on providing women with training and economic empowerment opportunities. | ||||||||||||
| Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | TREP will help Tonga rapidly move from its heavy dependence on imported fossil fuels for power generation (about 90%) to using clean and renewable energy resources that are low carbon and climate resilient. TREP will also provide technical solutions, such as a battery energy storage system, and capacity building for promoting more private sector investments in renewables, which will help Tonga meet its 50% renewable energy target by 2020 and 70% by 2030. TREP will also increase energy access of marginalized populations in the outer islands, where access is low and limited. | ||||||||||||
| Impact | Reduced Tonga's dependency on imported fossil fuel for power generation |
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| Project Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Description of Outcome | Expanded access to clean, resilient and affordable energy for the population in Tonga at a lower cost |
| Progress Toward Outcome | |
| Implementation Progress | |
| Description of Project Outputs | Battery Energy storage system (BESS) facilities on Tongatapu installed Grid-connected renewable energy generation on 'Eua and Vava'u installed Renewable-based hybrid systems and mini-grids on outer-Islands installed Strengthening of capacity building installed |
| Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues) | Achieved - BESS on Tongatapu completed Nov 2021 and commissioned Oct 2022. Achieved - Eua and Vavau commissioned March 2023. Renovation works to TPL's Control Room in Eua is ongoing.Ongoing - a contract to construct renewable energy-based hybrid mini-grids on 4 Haapai outer islands and Niuafoou was awarded in Mar 2020 but delayed faced due to COVID-19 pandemic and finalization of contract variations which was completed in April 2023. Local sub-contractor mobilized to start site preparatory works in June 2023. Main contractor mobilizing to Niuafoou in September 2023. A contract to construct mini grids on 4 Vavau outer islands was awarded in July 2023 and the contractor will mobilize in December 2023. 2 contracts to modernize TPL's control centre are ongoing.Work by the PMU consultants and the Consultancy Services Contract firm continues. 2 consultants for the independent power producer transaction advisory services continue to work with TPL to achieve Tonga's 80% renewable energy target. |
| Geographical Location | Nation-wide |
| Safeguard Categories | |
|---|---|
| Environment | B |
| Involuntary Resettlement | B |
| Indigenous Peoples | C |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | Enviro- The IEE has been approved by the Department of Environment and has been revised to include additional scope. The CEMPs for each site have also been approved and complied with. The EA/IA are complying with the legal covenants and no actions are required to maintain compliance. |
| Involuntary Resettlement | IR- The RP has also been approved and has been revised to include additional scope. The EA/IA are complying with legal covenants. |
| Indigenous Peoples | IP- Not applicable. |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
| During Project Design | |
| During Project Implementation | The IA has been undertaking consultations with the communities before construction works commenced and these are ongoing until the project is complete. Several consultations have also been done for landowners and affected persons prior to construction works commencing. |
| Responsible ADB Officer | King, Grace |
| Responsible ADB Department | Pacific Department |
| Responsible ADB Division | Pacific Subregional Office in Suva, Fiji (SPSO) |
| Executing Agencies |
Ministry of Finance |
| Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 14 Dec 2019 |
| Fact Finding | 30 Jul 2018 to 03 Aug 2018 |
| MRM | 22 Jan 2019 |
| Approval | 11 Mar 2019 |
| Last Review Mission | - |
| Last PDS Update | 17 Sep 2023 |
| Milestones | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
| Original | Revised | Actual | |||
| 11 Mar 2019 | 13 Sep 2019 | 22 Nov 2019 | 30 Apr 2023 | 30 Apr 2024 | - |
| Financing Plan | Grant Utilization | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
| Project Cost | 17.80 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
| ADB | 12.20 | 23 Oct 2023 | 11.75 | 0.00 | 96% |
| Counterpart | 5.60 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
| Cofinancing | 0.00 | 23 Oct 2023 | 7.94 | 0.00 | 65% |
| Status of Covenants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Sector | Safeguards | Social | Financial | Economic | Others |
| Rating | - | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Partly satisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |
| Milestones | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
| Original | Revised | Actual | |||
| 11 Mar 2019 | 13 Sep 2019 | 22 Nov 2019 | 30 Apr 2023 | 30 Apr 2024 | - |
| Financing Plan | Grant Utilization | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
| Project Cost | 29.90 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
| ADB | 0.00 | 23 Oct 2023 | 0.00 | 28.92 | 97% |
| Counterpart | 0.00 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
| Cofinancing | 29.90 | 23 Oct 2023 | 0.00 | 20.85 | 70% |
| Milestones | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approval | Signing Date | Effectivity Date | Closing | ||
| Original | Revised | Actual | |||
| 11 Mar 2019 | 13 Sep 2019 | 22 Nov 2019 | 30 Apr 2023 | 30 Apr 2024 | - |
| Financing Plan | Grant Utilization | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total (Amount in US$ million) | Date | ADB | Others | Net Percentage | |
| Project Cost | 5.50 | Cumulative Contract Awards | |||
| ADB | 0.00 | 23 Oct 2023 | 0.00 | 2.51 | 100% |
| Counterpart | 3.00 | Cumulative Disbursements | |||
| Cofinancing | 2.50 | 23 Oct 2023 | 0.00 | 1.98 | 79% |
| Status of Covenants | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Sector | Safeguards | Social | Financial | Economic | Others |
| Rating | - | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory | Satisfactory |