Liberia’s age-old electricity problem is about to become history, as President George Manneh Weah and the team at the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), headed by Monie R. Captan as Board Chairman, is at the concluding stage of generating funds to build a new hydro.
According to information, the amount needed to undertake the project is US$500 million, and that the LEC boss, Captan, has generated US$300 million for the purpose, and could possibly generate the remaining funds within the first or second year of President Weah’s second term.
“The news coming from the nation’s power station is tempting, and arguably gives additional reasons to retain President Weah at the Presidency to continue his development stride that is bringing the country back to pre-war status,” Tarnue Mulbah, a resident of West Point, told the Hot Pepper.
This information comes at a time the Liberia Electricity Corporation has announced that it has started to export excess electricity to the West African Power Pool’s CLSG (Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea) interconnection, and the revenue generated will be credited against Liberia’s debt with the Cote d’Ivoire Energies (CIE).
The LEC Board Chairman, Captan, disclosed that, in July 2023 LEC began to export excess energy generated at Mt. Coffee Hydro into the CLSG. According to him, the excess energy was produced due to the optimum functioning of the Mt. Coffee Hydro due to favorable rainfall.
He said by the end of the rainy season, the LEC is expected to save approximately US$2.5 million from exporting electricity, which he said would defray Liberia’s energy bills with CIE.
The significance of this development is a clear indication that LEC has a significant export potential, especially with the commitment of its management to the overall institutional goal of the state-owned enterprise.
“Mt. Coffee has excess electricity generated because of the rainy season, and we are exporting our surplus generation to the CLSG,” Captan told the Hot Pepper. He said, “Last month we exported over US$500,000 worth of electricity. This money goes against our CLSG debt.”
However, amidst this news, concerns still mount about the persistent challenges of the lack of electricity supply. But Captan has pointed out that the reason communities are not connected is due to lack of the distribution network in those areas. “It requires funding to build medium- and low-voltage transmission and distribution backbone, as well as securing transformers and service drop materials,” he underscored.
He explained that funding through donors take time, but they will ensure that all communities are connected in due time. “LEC has already begun connecting some communities on its own, and will continue to do so, but it should be understood that this is a very expensive exercise and resources are limited,” he added.
He further disclosed that the problem of meters will soon be resolved, as LEC is expected to receive 100,000 meters this week.
Captan however cautioned against power theft. He noted that, in order for LEC to collect its due revenue, Liberians will have to end power theft. “Let’s end power theft so that LEC can collect its due revenue. Without this, we will not be able to pay for the extension of the network,” he warned.