Rédaction Africa Links 24 with New Dawn
Published on 2024-03-26 02:10:00
Liberia has long struggled with providing consistent and reliable electricity to its citizens, but that may soon change with the help of a new project funded by the World Bank and the Government of Liberia. The project aims to invest $96 million in expanding the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant and constructing the country’s first solar power plant.
The expansion of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant in Louisiana, Montserrado County, will increase its capacity from 88 Megawatts to 126 Megawatts. In addition, a new solar farm will be built to produce 20 Megawatts of electricity. The project also includes plans for the St. Paul hydropower dam to produce 200-250 Megawatts of power.
Philip Firley, the Corporate Communication Director of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), explained that the funds allocated for the project will cover both the expansion of Mount Coffee and the construction of the solar farm. Blueprint and engineering designs for the solar farm have already started, and construction is expected to begin soon. The solar farm and the Mount Coffee expansion will be located at the same site.
The assessment tour of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant involved a delegation from the World Bank West Region office, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and representatives from the Liberia Electricity Corporation. The purpose of the visit was to identify the location for the solar farm and plan for the expansion of the hydropower plant.
Mr. Firley highlighted that the current energy demand in Liberia is 400 Megawatts, and with the completion of the Mount Coffee expansion, the solar farm, and the SP2 project, the country will be able to meet its electricity needs sustainably. He emphasized that the projects are crucial for addressing Liberia’s persistent electricity problems and urged patience from the public as efforts are being made to resolve the issue.
The visit to the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant was part of President Boakai’s Energy Sector Round Table initiative, where key stakeholders in the sector came together to discuss and support the project. Liberia has been grappling with power challenges since the civil war, and the government’s efforts to restore electricity have not met public demands.
With the support of international partners like the World Bank, Liberia is making progress towards improving its electricity infrastructure and providing reliable power to its citizens. The investment in expanding the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant and constructing a solar farm represents a significant step towards solving the country’s long-standing electricity problems.
Read the original article on The Newdawn Liberia
