Challenges for hydro development in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea is a resource rich country with great reserves of gas, oil and fertile agricultural land as well as an abundance of hydro power potential. However, most regions of Papua New Guinea are still considered remote with access to some of the basic services that we take for granted here in Australia like clean water, transport and electricity still lacking. Little of the riches derived from these resources come to benefit the majority of Papuans. Increasing the availability of affordable electricity to remote communities as well as the swelling populations for urban Port Moresby is one way in which productivity and family livelihood can be advanced. The challenges both technical and social are many. Often the technical challenges relate to geological factors such as earthquake, landslide and foundations conditions, including karstic limestone. Over a period of work in PNG I have encountered such problems, some of which I would like to share in this talk.
David Wilson grew up in Burnie before moving to Hobart in 1973 to undertake tertiary studies at the University of Tasmania. After graduating in 1977 with a Batchelor of Science Honours Degree in Geology/Geophysics David joined Hydro Tasmania as Geophysicist and undertook geophysical and geological studies for potential hydropower projects throughout Tasmania. Much of his work was in remote locations on Tasmania’s West Coast and he spent several years based at Tullah. He returned to Hobart in the early 90’s to pursue a change of career in hydrology, becoming Principal Hydrologist and Business Development Manager, working on many overseas assignments in the Asia-Pacific region as well as other parts of the globe.
Since 2011 David has worked as an independent consultant and has spent time living in Papua New Guinea and Borneo as well as assignments in other countries working on the investigation of various small to medium size hydropower projects.
Tuesday 1 September, 8.00 pm Royal Society Room, Customs House Building, TMAG,
19 Davey St. Hobart (entry from Dunn Place)
All interested people are welcome
Admission is free
