State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) has officially taken over electricity, water and sewerage services in HA. Thuraakunu, marking an expansion of its operations to the northernmost inhabited island of the Maldives.
The development comes as the state-owned utility provider continues assuming responsibility for services previously managed by Fenaka Corporation in different parts of the country, extending its operational presence to both the northernmost and southernmost regions of the Maldives.
The formal handover in Thuraakunu was marked by a ceremony at the island’s powerhouse, attended by STELCO Managing Director Dr Ali Azwar, Deputy Managing Director Abdulla Nazir and senior company officials.
During the ceremony, Dr Azwar hoisted the Maldivian national flag, while Nazir raised the STELCO flag, symbolising the company’s assumption of responsibility for utility services on the island.
The handover forms part of an ongoing tour by STELCO’s senior management to oversee the transfer of utility operations across Haa Alif Atoll.
Following the ceremony, the delegation inspected the island’s powerhouse and operational facilities, reviewing existing infrastructure and discussing arrangements for electricity generation, water supply, sewerage management and the continued delivery of essential services.
The discussions focused on the management of the facilities and operational requirements associated with the transition to STELCO.
The company’s leadership also visited HA. Hoarafushi during the atoll tour, where they inspected progress on the island’s powerhouse and water bottling plant.
The inspections are part of preparations for STELCO to assume responsibility for additional utility operations in the northern atoll.
According to the company, further transfers of services currently provided by Fenaka Corporation are expected to take place across several islands in Haa Alif Atoll in the coming days.
The expansion represents a change in the management of essential utility infrastructure in the region, with STELCO taking over responsibility for the operation and maintenance of facilities serving local communities.
The latest handover also follows the company’s expansion into the southernmost part of the country.
STELCO has already assumed electricity service operations in Addu City, including Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo, extending its service network to the southern end of the Maldives.
With operations now established in Thuraakunu and Addu, the company has begun providing utility services at both geographical extremes of the archipelago.
The development reflects the broader restructuring of state-owned utility service delivery, under which responsibilities previously held by Fenaka are being transferred to STELCO in selected regions.
Historically, STELCO’s operations have been concentrated in the Greater Malé region and several other service areas, while Fenaka has been responsible for electricity, water and sewerage services across numerous inhabited islands.
The ongoing transfer of responsibilities is changing that arrangement, expanding STELCO’s role in the provision of essential services beyond its traditional operational areas.
Electricity generation and distribution remain particularly important for the Maldives, where geographically dispersed island communities depend on individual power systems rather than a single nationwide electricity grid.
Operating these systems requires regular maintenance, reliable fuel supplies, technical personnel and infrastructure capable of meeting local demand.
Water and sewerage services are equally important for island communities, particularly as population needs and infrastructure requirements continue to evolve.
The transition between utility providers therefore involves not only administrative changes but also the management of existing facilities, technical operations and arrangements for uninterrupted service delivery.
STELCO’s inspections of powerhouses and other facilities are intended to assess these operational requirements as the company takes responsibility for additional islands.
The company has indicated that its expansion in Haa Alif Atoll will continue, with further handovers expected as the transfer process progresses.
The assumption of services in Thuraakunu marks another stage in STELCO’s growing nationwide role, with the utility provider now operating in both the far north and far south of the Maldives.
