Energy and Telecommunications
Department of Energy
The Department of Energy, based in Fakaofo, is responsible for supply and maintenance of power to all three atolls.
Each of the three atolls now has a significant solar panel array that caters for almost all local electric power requirements. Tokelau was said to be the first country in the world to have gone 100% solar, in 2013. Diesel usage, previously needed for power generators, is said to have dropped by 90 percent. Some power generation using diesel remains necessary as backup and in prolonged cloudy spells. The initial investment was NZ$7.5 million by New Zealand plus NZ$1 million by Tokelau governments. Maintenance costs can be significant in the demanding climate conditions of high temperature, high humidity and high salinity.
Department of Telecommunications
Each of the three atolls has its own satellite link that caters for international telephone calls and internet via a connection to Auckland, New Zealand. Management is in the hands of the government-owned company Teletok. Most individual households have landlines. Some have also modems or routers; Wi-Fi networks tend to be shared among households. Individual uses can register on the network and pre-pay access. While all elements for internet use are present, in reality access is intermittent and can be very slow especially when many users are present. There are no underwater cable connections yet – not even between atolls – but discussions to that effect are underway.
To date (June 2016) this are no mobile phone networks in Tokelau, but are in an advanced stage of preparation.
The Department of Energy, based in Fakaofo, is responsible for supply and maintenance of power to all three atolls.
Each of the three atolls now has a significant solar panel array that caters for almost all local electric power requirements. Tokelau was said to be the first country in the world to have gone 100% solar, in 2013. Diesel usage, previously needed for power generators, is said to have dropped by 90 percent. Some power generation using diesel remains necessary as backup and in prolonged cloudy spells. The initial investment was NZ$7.5 million by New Zealand plus NZ$1 million by Tokelau governments. Maintenance costs can be significant in the demanding climate conditions of high temperature, high humidity and high salinity.
Department of Telecommunications
Each of the three atolls has its own satellite link that caters for international telephone calls and internet via a connection to Auckland, New Zealand. Management is in the hands of the government-owned company Teletok. Most individual households have landlines. Some have also modems or routers; Wi-Fi networks tend to be shared among households. Individual uses can register on the network and pre-pay access. While all elements for internet use are present, in reality access is intermittent and can be very slow especially when many users are present. There are no underwater cable connections yet – not even between atolls – but discussions to that effect are underway.
To date (June 2016) this are no mobile phone networks in Tokelau, but are in an advanced stage of preparation.