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The Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) operates an open pit gold mine at Porgera, in Enga Province. The principal partner in the PJV is Placer (PNG) Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Canadian mining company Placer Dome Inc. Mineral Resources Enga Pty Ltd, which represents the Enga provincial government and landholders, holds ten per cent equity in PJV. Although the Porgera mine is located in Enga Province, power lines to the mine cut across SHP, and disgruntled landowners in the SHP have on a number of occasions cut down pylons and damaged lines carrying electricity to the mine site, bringing mining operations to a standstill.
PJV has held talks with local communities and with the national government in attempts to address the problems associated with their grievances.
The PJV has a high voltage electricity transmission line, 78 km in length, situated within a 60 metre wide legally-granted easement. Regrowth in the easement is generally cleared to a 30-metre width, on a regular basis using locally hired labour.
In the absence of available suitable government officers, PJV employees carried out the land investigation for the granting of the easement. This was done over a twelve-month period including field surveys.
The transmission line consists of overhead conductors supported as required by single-legged pylons with four stay-wires per pylon. There are some 228 pylons along the route.