PUB continues to strengthen its performance across electricity generation, and despite challenges has also increased water production.
Electricity Generation
Electricity generation has grown steadily over recent years, with PUB now producing more power than ever before to meet the growing needs of South Tarawa. Total generation reached 41 GWh in FY2025 — a 31% increase compared to FY2023 — supported by improved generator availability and the addition of new capacity.
Fuel efficiency continues to improve. PUB now generates 3.46 kWh per litre of diesel, up from 3.63 in FY2024. This means more power from every litre of fuel, keeping costs down and reducing environmental impact. System efficiency has improved dramatically — 92% of all generated electricity now reaches customers.
Prepaid meters growing: The number of prepaid meters has grown from 150 in early 2024 to 2,707 in April 2026, giving more customers the ability to manage and monitor their own electricity use. This also strengthens PUB’s revenue collection and billing accuracy.
Renewable Energy Growth
Solar energy is playing an increasing role in PUB’s generation mix. PV output grew 22% year-on-year to 2.2 GWh in FY2025, and solar contribution in early 2026 is tracking at 5.4% of total generation. With the STREP solar farm at Bonriki due to come online later this year, PUB’s renewable energy capacity will increase substantially.
Water Production
Water production has seen strong growth, with total output increasing 25% in the first four months of 2026 compared to the same period last year. The McKenzie desalination plant continues to perform well, with daily output averaging 2.3 megalitres in April 2026. Water quality remains excellent, with salinity at 554 µS/cm — well within the 1,000 µS/cm safe limit.
Thirteen new water storage tanks at Temaiku are now in service, and leak detection and repair work on the transmission main is improving supply reliability, with ongoing repairs helping to ensure more water reaches households across the network.