Litia Cava 
[Photo: FILE]
Energy Fiji Limited states the rural electrification process involves several stages, from government funding and project design to tendering and construction.
EFL Chief Executive Officer Fatiaki Gibson said the company was working with the Department of Energy and the Ministry to get projects moving, with EFL acting as the implementing agency.
EFL General Manager Network Jitendra Kumar then explained that the process starts before the government budget is prepared, when the Department of Energy identifies projects for possible funding.
EFL then provides preliminary cost estimates for the proposed projects, which are considered as part of the Government budget process.
Once funding is approved, EFL carries out final surveys and designs and secures the required wayleave approvals.
Kumar says materials are also procured as soon as the rural electrification budget is approved, without waiting for the Government funds to reach EFL.
Projects are then put out to open tender, with bids assessed on technical compliance, price and the contractor’s existing workload.
The Rural Electrification Tender Committee, made up of EFL, Finance Ministry and Department of Energy representatives, decides on the tender awards.
Gibson says EFL has also recently taken responsibility for house wiring as part of the rural electrification program.
