Chairman of the Electric Power Corporation Board, Pepe Christian Fruean has defended the board’s decision with the establishment of EDF a French Solar Power Company in the Country with the assistance of the EPC board and the previous administration.
Pepe in an email to Radio Polynesia, says his actions were consistent with the relevant governing legislation EPC Act 1980, Electricity Act 2010, Public Bodies (Performance & Accountability Act 2021, etc.) in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for EPC and the people of Samoa.
Pepe was responding to Radio Polynesia questions, in relation to a letter endorsed by the Regulator Gisa Fuata’i Purcell sent three months ago to the Minister of Communications, Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo, which spells out the alleged illegality of the ongoing solar panel project allowed through Cabinet directives bypassing Electricity laws in the country.
According to the Regulator, EDF and EPC did not comply with the Electricity Act 2010 and therefore, the EDF Power Purchase Agreement cannot be approved. “Furthermore, the EDF had not applied for a Generation License as per the Act.
“The EDF operates In Samoa without the Regulator approving the appropriate tariff of the PPA and the PPA as well as issuing the generation license.”
The Regulator went as far as recommending to the Minister review and replace the entire EPC board.
Pepe, said he would follow up with the Regulator to seek additional clarification and a better understanding of why he was not afforded a fair opportunity to be able to respond to the allegations at the time the letter was prepared.
“The principles of natural justice would allow a right of reply in this sort of situation and an opportunity to correct the factual inaccuracies that clearly exist.
“This is even more important as I have been named personally in the letter and a number of the Regulator’s allegations appear to be directed toward my personal integrity. This is very disappointing as I have always acted within my remit as Chairman of EPC consistent with the relevant governing legislations EPC Act 1980, Electricity Act 2010, Public Bodies (Performance & Accountability Act 2021, etc.) in order to deliver the best possible outcomes for EPC and the people of Samoa;
“I am giving further consideration to the letter, including why it was made public without being first afforded any opportunity to respond to the Regulator’s very serious and damaging allegations.”
Radio Polynesia sent out an email to Pepe prior to the airing of this article, which he claims, he never received.
EDITORS NOTE: Pepe’s response was printed verbatim in our earlier article on this story published on Friday 17 February 2023.
