ADB Resilient Infrastructure Project Snapshot TONGA: CYCLONE GITA RECOVERY PROJECT Severe Tropical Cyclone Gita was the most intense storm to ASSISTANCE ever hit the Pacific island nation of Tonga. Making landfall on 12 February 2018, it caused severe damage to the islands of Tongatapu and ‘Eua. Widespread destruction of the power $6.8 network disrupted communities and led to energy sector ADB million reconstruction costs of about $46 million. In 2018, the Asian Development Bank and Government of New Zealand 2 approved separate grants to help reconstruct and improve disaster resilience of the Nuku’alofa electricity Government $1.14 network, in partnership with the Government of Tonga and million Tonga Power Limited. The power network recovery was informed by an existing 10-year Energy Roadmap and building back better lessons from the Cyclone Ian Recovery Project in 2014. Some 5% of power grid segments upgraded in Tongatapu and ‘Eua through earlier support were found to Tonga Power $1.48 Limited million be damaged following Cyclone Gita, compared to damage of about 45% in other areas. ADB is continuing its support for national energy resilience through the 2019 Tonga Renewable Energy Project.3 1 https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/ton-52129-001-rrp 2 https://www.adb.org/projects/documents/ton-49450-012-rrp 3 https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nz-supports-tonga-recovery-effort-post-cyclone The Asian Development Bank’s Operational Priority 3: Tackling Climate Change, Building Climate and Disaster Resilience, and Enhancing Environmental Sustainability sets out an approach to enhance the physical, eco- based, financial, social, and institutional resilience of Developing Member Countries. ADB projects may seek to build resilience in one or multiple areas. PHYSICAL RESILIENCE. The project enhanced the physical resilience of Tonga’s KEY INDICATORS power system by building a more decentralized network with strengthened distribution assets. Specific measures More than included moving service connections 1,700 customer underground, changing distribution system connections aerial conductors from individual to bundled with reliable and lines, upgrading the capacity of the disaster resilient distribution network, providing high voltage service, including underground supply to critical locations, households, such as hospitals, network reconfiguration to businesses, and support rollout of renewable energy, and services applying the latest technical standards from Australia and New Zealand. More than 50 TPL staff and SOCIAL & INSTITUTIONAL RESILIENCE. contractors (including at least The project set high targets for capacity 15 women) trained on power development and gender inclusion in order budget management and asset to develop a more diverse workforce that is management and maintenance better equipped to respond to future disasters. Capacity building included training and coaching for Tonga Power Limited to meet gender and social targets and strengthen implementation and coordination capacity for future emergencies. As a result of gender diversity efforts, TPL now has an all-female line crew. For more information: [email protected].