Projects

Strengthening Institutional Capacity of Papua New Guinea’s Energy Utility Sector

Kaizen is improving the organizational development of the Papua New Guinea energy utility distributor and regulator to enable self-reliance and support local ownership goals.

As part of the U.S. Government’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, the USAID launched the Asia Enhancing Development and Growth through Energy (EDGE) Initiative in 2018 to grow sustainable and secure energy markets throughout the region. Through EDGE, USAID created the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Electrification Partnership (PEP) Activity to connect 70 percent of the country’s population to electricity by 2030.

			Highlights		

							Supported the regulatory establishment of NEA
Catalyzed PPL’s locally led institutional improvements
Initiated incorporation of gender policy into NEA structure and processes
						

Kaizen is subcontracting with Research Triangle Institute on the PEP Activity with human and institutional capacity development, primarily for national electricity sector utility PNG Power Ltd. (PPL), regulator National Energy Authority (NEA), and other government and nongovernmental energy sector organizations. Through PEP, Kaizen facilitates institutional improvements led by local partners, which contributes to a self-reliance framework within the PNG utilities sector. In addition, Kaizen reviews human and institutional capacity-building programs to further develop select PNG government agencies. The Kaizen team is providing leadership development, improved human resource processes, and technical training to promote gender empowerment within all levels of PPL and NEA; organizational development through the piloting of an organizational self-assessment and transformation program that promotes continuous and locally owned improvements from within PPL; and guidance and consultation to support NEA independence and technical expertise, particularly in the evaluation of projects supporting new energy sources.

Through PEP, Kaizen is empowering PNG’s drive toward self-reliance by ensuring its energy distributors and regulators are increasingly stable, tailored to the country context, and able to adapt to future changes.