Battery energy storage systems support Samoa’s month-long power crisis

Tesla specialists are on the ground assisting Samoa’s electric power corporation engineers to ensure its battery energy storage systems are operating to support Samoa’s energy needs during the current power crisis.

April 3, 2025 Ev Foley

Image: Electric Power Corporation, Samoa

Tesla battery energy storage system (BESS) specialists are on the ground assisting Samoa’s Electric Power Corporation (EPC) engineers to ensure its batteries are operating to support Samoa’s energy needs during the country’s current power crisis.

Local media reports say Tesla crews were in Samoa working on a routine maintenance visit but are now helping EPC with the maintenance of all EPC’s batteries, which store 6 MW of power sourced from a network of solar farms owned by independent power providers (IPPs) and include the Tanugamanono, Fiaga, Tuanaimato, Salelologa and Faleolo solar farms.

The country’s grid has taken four major energy generation hits since 23 February 2025, which resulted in a 10 MW power shortage.

The government has declared a 30-day state of emergency until 29 April and is implementing temporary solutions to restore power.

Five 5 MW emergency rental generators have been sourced from New Zealand and due to arrive 4 April, with two new 4 MW diesel generators expected from China in August 2025.

Restoring damaged generators will add 5 MW back into the grid and in December a 10 MW solar farm is due to be commissioned to expand the island nation’s renewable energy generation.

Problems began on February 23 when the country’s main high voltage (HV) underground cable failed between the Fiaga and Fuluasou power stations causing a blackout on the island of Upolu, the second largest in the Samoan islands area, impacting 200,000 people.

This event was followed by a second failure on February 25. On March 9, severe storms damaged power infrastructure, bringing down power lines, and three key generators failed on March 15, resulting in a 10 MW power shortage.

The crisis has led to up to 16 hours of daily power interruptions across Upolu requiring extensive power rationing coordinated by the Electric Power Corporation (EPC).

Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said the economic impact of the crisis is estimated to cost up to 16% of Samoa’s GDP.

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