The Government of Samoa has declared a 30-day State of Emergency in response to the nation’s ongoing energy crisis. The announcement was made through a formal proclamation issued by His Highness the Head of State, Afioga Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, acting on Cabinet advice under Article 105 of the Constitution. The emergency period is effective from midnight Monday 31 March 2025 and will remain in place until Tuesday 29 April 2025.
The declaration grants the government the authority to implement emergency measures aimed at restoring the electricity supply, protecting public health and safety, and ensuring the continuity of essential services.
In a formal press statement, the Prime Minister said the emergency powers would enable the Government to implement urgent measures to stabilise the energy supply, restore essential services, and support affected communities. According to the Prime Minister, the impact of the outages has been severe, with damage to household utilities, risks to public health from spoiled food, and disruptions to economic activity across multiple sectors. The projected economic cost of the crisis is estimated at 16 percent of GDP for the 2025 calendar year.
In recent weeks, residents and businesses across Upolu have endured repeated power outages and electricity rationing. According to the government, the damage to household utilities has been widespread, and the safety of residential buildings compromised. The loss of refrigeration in food outlets has resulted in public health risks due to spoilage. Commercial operations have also been affected, and the projected economic cost of the crisis is estimated at 16 percent of Samoa’s GDP for 2025.
The Electric Power Corporation (EPC) has cited multiple causes behind the crisis. One of the major factors is the mechanical failure of generators at the Fiaga Power Station, which supplies a substantial portion of electricity to Upolu. A faulty underground transmission line has also disrupted distribution across critical parts of the grid. On 9 March 2025, a severe storm caused additional damage to infrastructure and slowed down restoration efforts. Rising demand, especially during peak hours, has added more pressure on EPC’s limited generation capacity.
The government has outlined its immediate response. Temporary power generation units are expected to arrive by 5 April to help ease supply issues. Full power restoration across Upolu is expected by the end of April, although permanent replacement generators will not be installed until August. In the meantime, parts to overhaul the Fiaga generators are being sourced to bring them back online. The government has also stated its intention to fast-track renewable energy and grid reinforcement projects to reduce long-term dependence on a single power source.
Under the emergency proclamation, several actions will be taken to support affected communities and stabilise supply. These include the lifting of import taxes and duties on generators and energy-related equipment for households, businesses, and EPC itself. Financial and technical support will be secured to assist EPC with medium- and long-term infrastructure repairs. The National Emergency Operations Centre will lead the coordination of the government’s response.
This is not the first time Samoa has experienced infrastructure-related power issues, but the scale and duration of the current crisis are unprecedented. EPC’s March 2025 public update acknowledged that the grid was running at significantly reduced capacity following the failures of three major generators. The Fiaga No.1 diesel generator experienced a piston failure that will take nearly a year to fix. The Tanugamanono No.7 unit suffered turbocharger damage, and the Taelefaga hydro unit is down due to a failed bearing. Together, these breakdowns removed 10 megawatts from the grid, forcing EPC to begin rationing power on 16 March. The situation has created a gap between generation and demand during critical periods, leading to rolling blackouts.
This crisis comes after several years of weather-related strain on Samoa’s infrastructure. The 9 March storm followed earlier events in 2023 and 2020 when floods and cyclones caused extended outages and exposed weaknesses in the grid. While EPC has made incremental investments in solar projects and hydro plants, critics have pointed out the lack of redundancy and the over-reliance on aging generators.
The government’s current plan involves emergency rentals, new diesel units from overseas, and a 10-megawatt solar farm expected to come online by the end of the year. Until then, the public is being asked to conserve electricity where possible and prepare for further disruptions. Officials have said they are doing everything possible to mitigate the impact, but acknowledge that the full return to stable, round-the-clock electricity will take months.
