High cost of power is a major hinderance to trade and investment in Papua New Guinea (PNG), says Minister for Trade and Investment, Richard Maru. PNG’s electricity sector is unreliable, expensive and has very low access, making the country one of the least electrified countries in the world with only 13% of the population having access to electricity. “We continue to rely on the expensive diesel generators when we have vast cheaper and cleaner energy options available- the rivers (for hydro projects) and the sun (for solar farms),” said Minister Maru. Minister Maru raised this concern after meeting with a team from the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) this morning where they discussed about a feasibility study into the Sowom Hydro Project in East Sepik Province. SMEC has done an initial high-level feasibility study into the potential of the hydro project along the Sowom River in 2014. “The Marape-Rosso Government is keen to have a full feasibility study done on the via