Jungle Energy Power’s bid to renew its electricity distribution license in Nimba County has come under sharp public scrutiny after customers told regulators that fallen power lines, makeshift poles and slow responses to dangerous faults have contributed to electrocution deaths in communities served by the company.
The complaints emerged during a public hearing organized by the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) on Jungle Energy Power’s application for renewal of its Large Micro Utility Distribution License for Nimba County.
By the end of the hearing, LERC Commissioner Cllr. Kla Edward Toomey II had issued a stern warning to the company: improve its infrastructure and customer service or face regulatory sanctions.
“The next time we come back here and see wires hanging like this or bad poles, we will fine you in line with the regulation of the LERC,” Toomey said.
The warning followed complaints from residents of Ganta and Sanniquellie about low-hanging and fallen electrical lines, deteriorating poles and what they described as JEP’s slow response to potentially dangerous conditions.
Some of those concerns were visible at the Liberia International Christian College in Ganta, where the hearing was held. Electricity lines could be seen hanging dangerously low within the compound, according to observations at the hearing.
More troubling were accounts from residents who linked poor electrical infrastructure to deaths by electrocution.
Participants cited the recent death of an elderly woman who was reportedly electrocuted while heading out early one morning to sell cassava leaves and potato greens.
According to residents, the electrical line had fallen about a week before the woman came into contact with it while attempting to pass beneath it.
The circumstances surrounding the death were not independently established at the hearing, but the account became part of broader public complaints about the condition and maintenance of JEP’s distribution network.
An administrative official representing the Sanniquellie City Corporation also complained about electrical lines being supported by palm trees, plum trees, planks and makeshift wooden poles. He said poor installations had contributed to two deaths in Sanniquellie.
“People have been dying from electrocution because of poor power installation and want to improve services to avoid any recurring problems,” he said.
Bain-Garr Administrative District Commissioner Amos Gbartu raised similar concerns, saying communities were being affected by “bad poles, low lines” and slow responses to reported problems.
Toomey told JEP that the company should not wait for customers to report every dangerous condition before taking action.
“It will take you about 30 minutes to cover Ganta, so you don’t have to wait until the customers call with problems like [a] pole falling or wire dropping before you can act,” he said.
“Go around the community to identify some of these problems and fix them, instead of waiting for the customers to come to your office before acting,” Toomey warned.
The public hearing brought together residents, businesspeople, students, local government officials, regulators and representatives of the electricity sector to assess JEP’s performance as LERC considers whether to renew its distribution license.
JEP, however, defended its record, pointing to significant expansion of electricity access since taking over management of the Nimba grid from the Liberia Electricity Corporation in 2016.
In a presentation to the hearing, the company said it inherited approximately 800 customers but now serves about 18,000. It also said it has replaced many wooden poles and expanded or upgraded electricity service in several communities.
JEP discussed its financial challenges, arguing that after operating expenses, the company retains limited resources for further expansion and improvements. It appealed for government assistance to strengthen its operations.
On complaints about poor installations, deteriorated poles and low-hanging wires, JEP representatives said the company was unaware of some of the conditions raised during the hearing and encouraged customers to report problems when they occur.
That response, however, appeared to draw particular concern from Toomey, who insisted that an electricity provider has a responsibility to proactively inspect its network for hazards rather than depend entirely on customer complaints.
Customers also raised concerns about what they described as the high cost of obtaining meters and requirements that some consumers purchase their own wires, poles or transformers before receiving service.
Despite those complaints, participants also acknowledged JEP’s role in expanding electricity access across parts of Nimba since assuming responsibility for the grid.
The question now before LERC is whether the company’s expansion and reported improvements are sufficient to support renewal of its license amid serious concerns about safety, infrastructure and customer service.
Acting LERC Chairman Amara M. Kamara said the Commission will review comments, concerns and recommendations presented during the hearing before releasing its decision by October 20, 2026.
For JEP, the regulatory stakes are now clear: its growth from 800 to roughly 18,000 customers demonstrates the scale of its presence in Nimba, but that same expansion brings an equally significant obligation to ensure that the electricity reaching those customers does not become a danger to the communities it is intended to serve.
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