SUVA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Fiji could face electricity rationing if prolonged dry weather pushes water levels at major hydropower facilities to critical levels, Infrastructure Minister Ro Filipe Tuisawau said on Wednesday.
Tuisawau said the water level at Monasavu Dam, Fiji's largest hydroelectric facility, stood at 732.2 meters as of Monday, which was 17.2 meters above the safe operating level and 12.8 meters below the dam's spill level.
He said Fiji's Energy Fiji Limited (EFL) is conserving water at its hydropower dams and increasing thermal power generation to help safeguard electricity supplies amid concerns over below-average rainfall.
EFL currently has 295.07 megawatts of available generating capacity, according to the minister.
However, Tuisawau warned that continued declines in dam water levels could force the government to introduce power rationing, with essential services such as hospitals prioritized.
Fiji is experiencing El Nino conditions, which the minister said could bring below-average rainfall through the end of 2026 and into early 2027.
The government is also investing in renewable energy as part of efforts to reduce the country's dependence on hydropower and fossil fuels. ■
