Tonga Power Limited (TPL) is placing safety at the heart of its operations—and it's doing so in a way that empowers women. Through the Nuku’alofa Network Upgrade Project (NNUP), TPL is not only upgrading aging infrastructure but also redefining who gets to shape the future of Tonga's energy sector.

The NNUP is a flagship initiative that aims to modernize and climate-proof Tonga's capital electricity distribution network. Backed by USD 8.7 million in funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Government of Tonga, and TPL, the project is tackling one of the country’s biggest challenges: creating a reliable, safe, and resilient power grid. Currently focused on Area 5—which includes the villages of Sia’atoutai, Sopu, Hofoa, Isileli, Maui, Hala’ovave, and Tu’atakilangi—NNUP is bringing tangible benefits to local communities.

But the upgrades aren't just technical. NNUP is setting a new benchmark for inclusive development by creating opportunities for women in technical roles, a sector long dominated by men. As part of its safety-first approach, TPL recently conducted an intensive two-week training to equip lineswomen and linesmen with life-saving skills.

"This training taught me how to work safely on the pole, on the ground, and how to connect wires while understanding voltage levels," shared 20-year-old lineswoman Elisapeta Holika. The training emphasized real-life emergency response, risk awareness, and the proper use of personal protective equipment.

Lineswoman and mother Faka’anaua Talakai recalled a close call when she encountered live wires without wearing gloves. "Since that day, I’ve learned how essential it is to consistently wear full PPE. This training serves as a vital reminder of the importance of staying alert and following safety protocols."

Safety officer Mr. Fonua outlined the emergency protocol: "In the event of an accident, the proper procedure is to notify the team leader, contact emergency services, and then perform the rescue if it is safe to do so."

TPL CEO Scott Westbury praised the women's participation: "Two women were up on the pole; they did a great job bringing the injured person down safely. It’s fantastic to see women joining. If we don’t encourage women into this workforce, we’ll never achieve true balance."

ADB's gender analysis during project design found that unreliable electricity disproportionately affects women, increasing unpaid care burdens and limiting safety, especially during outages. The energy sector also reflects gender imbalance, with women making up only 20% of technical and 30% of senior roles.

"This project supports women and girls as energy users and increases employment opportunities," said Project Gender and Knowledge Management Specialist Beatrice Olsson. "We’re delivering technical and community safety training, implementing gender-mainstreaming guidelines, and ensuring at least 30% of TPL staff trained in project management are women."

The annual training program is supported by New Zealand and led by qualified instructors in pole installation, wiring, and safety procedures. It reflects a long-term vision: equipping all workers with the expertise to operate safely and confidently—in Tonga and potentially abroad.

For trainee lineswoman Analatu ‘Ahofono, the experience has been eye-opening. "I learned the difference between high-voltage and low-voltage lines. The more I participate, the more I believe women can do this work."

Veteran line mechanic Finau Malu, with 17 years in the field, agreed: "This job is for women too. And when we work with the men, we learn from each other."

While migration and marriage have reduced the number of women entering the field, Project Manager Timote Tu’ipulotu remains hopeful. "This training prepares youth for real fieldwork. They leave not just trained, but fit and confident."

"The more women who join, the more comfortable they feel working in this industry," added Mr. Fonua.

CEO Scott concluded that NNUP has significantly strengthened TPL’s safety culture, though continuous improvement remains a goal.

The first week of training concluded on March 11th, with another session scheduled two months later.

Lava’i Kakato ‘e he Hou’eiki Fafine ‘I he Tafa’aki Laini ‘a e Kautaha ‘Uhila ‘a Tonga ha ako ki he tu’unga malu ‘I he Ngaue’anga.

'Oku fakamu’omu’a ‘e he Kautaha ‘Uhila ‘a Tonga ‘a e malu mo e hao ‘i he fakahoko fatongia, pea ‘oku fakahoko ia ‘i ha founga kene kei poupoua ‘a e hou’eiki fafine ‘i he ngaue’anga ni. Fakafou ‘i he poloseki NNUP (Nuku’alofa Network Upgrade Project) ‘oku ‘ikai ke ngata pe ‘i he fakalakalaka ai ‘a e ngaahi me’a ngaue mo e naunau ki he ‘uhila, ka ‘oku toe tokoni foki ia kene fakafotunga ‘a e tu’unga ‘e ‘i ai ‘a e ‘uhila ‘i he kaha’u.

Ko e NNUP, ko e poloseki ia ‘oku fakataumu’a ke toe lelei ange ‘a e ngaahi naunau ki hono tufaki ‘o e ‘uhila pea malava ke matu’uaki ‘a e ngaahi uesia ‘o e feliuliuaki ‘o e ‘ea. ‘Oku tokoni ki heni ha pa’anga ‘Amelika ‘e 8.7 miliona mei he Pangike Fakalakalaka ‘o ‘Esia (ADB), pule’anga ‘o Tonga, pea mo e Kautaha ‘Uhila ‘a Tonga ‘o nau tokoni ki he poloseki ko ‘eni ke solova ‘a e taha ‘o e palopalema lahi taha ‘oku fepaki mo e fonua; kau ki ai hono fo’u ha ma’u’anga ‘uhila ‘oku falala’anga, malu, pau, mo tu’uloa. ‘I he lolotonga ni, ‘oku fakahoko ‘a e ngaue ko ‘eni ki he ‘Elia 5, ‘a ia ‘oku kau ki ai ‘a Sia’atoutai, Sopu, Hofoa, ‘Isileli, Maui, Hala’ovave pea mo Tu’atakilangi – ‘oku ‘omai ‘e he NNUP ha ngaahi lelei lahi ki he ngaahi tukui kolo.

Ko e fakalakalaka ko ‘eni, ‘oku ‘ikai ke ngata pe ‘i he tafa’aki fakatekinikale. ‘Oku ‘omi ‘e he NNUP ha ngaahi faingamalie ma’ae hou’eiki fafine ‘i he ngaue fakatekinikale ‘a ia ‘oku fa’a angamaheni ko e ngaue ‘oku tokolahi ai ‘a e hou’eiki tangata. ‘I hono fakamahu’inga’i ‘o e mu’omu’a ‘a e malu ‘i he ngaue’anga, na’e fakahoko ‘e he Kautaha ‘Uhila ‘a Tonga ha ako uike ‘e ua ke teu’i ‘a e kau ngaue laine, tatau pe ‘a e tangata mo e fefine ‘i ha ngaahi taukei ‘i he fakahaofi mo’ui.

“Ko e ako ko ‘eni ‘oku ne ako’i au ‘i he founga malu hono fakahoko ‘a e ngaahi ngaue ‘i he funga pou’uhila, ‘i lalo, pea mo e anga koia hono tau e ngaahi uaea pea malava keu mahino’i ‘a e ngaahi levolo kehekehe ‘o e volota,” ko e vahevahe ‘eni ‘a ‘Elisapeta Holika, ta’u 20, ko e fefine ‘i he tafa’aki laine. Ko e ako ko ‘eni ‘oku fakamamafa’i ‘a e ngaue ke fakahoko ‘i he taimi ‘oku hoko ai ha fakatamaki, ke toe tokanga ange pea mo e mahu’inga ko ia hono ‘ilo’i ‘a e me’angaue totonu ke ngaue’aki.

Na’e vahevahe ‘e he taha ‘o e kau fefine ‘i he Laine, ka koha fa’e, Faka’anaua Talakai, ‘i he’ene manatu ki he’ene a’usia ha fakatamaki ‘i he’ene ta’etokanga ke tui hono kofunima. “Talu mei he ‘aho koia, neu ako ‘a e matu’aki mahu’inga koia ke tui ma’u pe ‘a e teunga malu kakato. ‘Oku hoko ‘a e ako ni koe fakamanatu ‘a e mahu’inga ‘a e ngaue tokanga, pea muimui ki he ngaahi fale’i ki he hao mo malu.”

Na’e pehe ‘e he ‘ofisa ‘oku ne tokanga’i e tafa’aki ki he malu mo hao, Finau Fonua, “I he taimi ‘oku hoko ai ha fakatamaki, ko e founga totonu ke ‘uluaki fakahoko ki he tokotaha ‘oku ne taki ‘i he timi koia, fetu’utaki leva ki he tafa’aki fiema’u tokoni fakavavevave, pea fakahoko leva e ngaahi ngaue ke fakahaofi ha taha ‘okapau ‘oku faingamalie mo malu ke fakahoko ia.

Na’e fakaha ‘e he Pule Lahi ‘o e Kautaha ‘Uhila ‘a Tonga, Scott Westbury ‘a e lelei koia ‘a e kau mai ‘a e hou’eiki fafine: “Ko e ongo fefine ‘e ua na’a na ‘i he funga pou’uhila, na’e lelei ‘aupito ‘ena fakahoko ‘a hono ‘ohifo malu koia ha tokotaha ‘oku lavea ki lalo. ‘Oku fakafiefia ‘a e mamata koia ki he kau mai ‘a e hou’eiki fafine. Kapau he’ikai ke tau fakamalohia e hou’eiki fafine ke nau ngaue ‘i he ngaue’anga ni, he’ikai ke tau a’usia ha ngaue’anga ‘oku vahevahe tatau ‘a e hou’eiki tangata mo e fefine.

Na’e fakahoko ‘e he ADB ha ‘analaiso ‘o ‘ilo ai ‘oku uesia ‘e he ‘ikai ke falala’anga ‘a e ‘uhila ‘a e hou’eiki fafine, pea lahi ange hono ta’e tokanga’i kinautolu kenau malu, tautefito ‘i he taimi ‘oku mate ai ‘a e ‘uhila. ‘Oku toe fakahaa’i ‘e he tafa’aki ki he ‘uhila, ‘oku ‘ikai vahevahe tatau ‘a e hou’eiki tangata mo e fefine ‘i he ngaue’anga. Ko e peseti ‘e 20% ko e kakai fefine ‘i he ngaue fakatekinikale, pea peseti ‘e 30% ‘o kinautolu ‘oku ‘i he ngaahi lakanga ma’olunga ange.

“Ko e poloseki ko ‘eni ‘oku ne poupou’i ‘a e hou’eiki fafine, pea fakalahi ‘a e ngaahi faingamalie ngaue,” ko e vahevahe ia ‘a Beatrice Olsson mei he tafa’aki Poloseki ‘a e ADB.“Oku mau ‘oatu ‘a e ngaahi ako ‘i he tafa’aki fakatekinikale pea mo e malu ‘a e komiuniti, pea ke fakapapau’i ‘oku a’u ki he 30% ‘o e kau fafine ‘oku ako’i ki he lakanga ma’olunga ‘i he tafa’aki Poloseki ‘i he Kautaha ‘Uhila.”

Ko e polokalama ako fakata’u ko eni, ‘a ia ‘oku poupou ki ai ‘a e Pule’anga Nu’usila pea tataki ia ‘e kinautolu ‘oku nau taukei ‘i hono fakahoko ‘o e to ‘o e pou ‘uhila, pea moe fakauaea, ‘i he founga malu mo hao. ‘Oku fakaha heni ‘a e visone tu’uloa ke teu’i e kau ngaue kotoa pe ke ma’u ‘a e taukei ‘i he founga ‘oku malu – ‘i Tonga ni pea mo muli foki.

Ko e taha e kau fefine ‘oku kau ki he laine, ‘Analatu ‘Ahofono, na’a ne vahevahe ‘a e tokoni lahi ‘a e polokalama ako ki ai. “Na’a ku ako ‘a e kehekehe koia ‘a e laine volota ma’olunga mo e volota ma’ulalo. Ko e lahi ange ‘eku kau ki he ngaahi ako pehe ni, ko e lahi ange ‘eku tui ‘e malava pe ‘e he kakai fefine ‘o fakahoko ‘a e ngaue ko ‘eni.”

Na’e poupou ki heni ‘a Finau Malu kuo ta’u ‘e 17 ‘a ‘ene ‘i he tafa’aki Laine pea kuo ne ma’u ‘a e taukei lahi, “Ko e ngaue ko ‘eni ‘oku ‘ikai ma’ae hou’eiki tangata pe ka ‘oku ma’ae hou’eiki fafine foki. ‘I he ‘emau ngaue fakataha mo e hou’eiki tangata, ‘oku mau feako’aki ‘i he ngaahi me’a lahi.”

Neongo ‘oku hoko ‘a e fehikitaki pea mo e mali ke holoki ai e tokolahi ‘o e hou’eiki fefine ‘oku nau hu mai ki he mala’e ko ‘eni, ka ‘oku ‘i ai pe fakatu’amelie mei he Pule koia ‘o e Poloseki ko ‘eni, Timote Tu’ipulotu, “Oku teuteu’i ‘e he ako ko eni ‘a e to’utupu ki he ngaue ‘i tu’a. ‘Oku nau mateuteu fakatu’asino ai pea mo e lotolahi foki.”

“Ko e tokolahi ange ‘a e hou’eiki fafine ‘oku nau kau mai, ko ‘enau faingofua’ia ange ia he ngaue ‘i he tafa’aki ko ‘eni.” Finau Fonua.

‘Oku tokoni lahi ‘a e NNUP ki hono fakamalohia koia ‘a e mahu’inga ‘o e malu ‘i he Kautaha ‘Uhila ‘a Tonga, pea ko e taumu’a ia ‘a e Pule lahi, Scott Westbury neongo ‘oku ‘i ai pe ngaahi me’a iiki ke fakalelei’i.

Ko e ako ko ‘eni na’e faka’osi ia ‘i he ‘aho 11 ‘o Ma’asi, ‘oku ‘i ai e palani mo e fokotu’utu’u ke toe fakahoko ‘a e ako tatau hili ha mahina ‘e ua.