Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Interim Managing Director, Mr. Thomas Z. Gonkerwon, has outlined immediate action plans to address the power outage across the country within fourteen to eighteen months.
By Lincoln Peters
Tuesday, February 18, 2025/ Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Interim Managing Director, Mr. Thomas Z. Gonkerwon, has outlined immediate action plans to address the power outage across the country within fourteen to eighteen months.
Addressing Liberians across the country on Monday, February 17, 2025, Engineer Gonkerwon stated that the corporation has received numerous complaints from citizens and residents concerning power outages nationwide.
He revealed that the extension of the Mount Coffee Hydro and the construction of Solar Plants in Montserrado, Bomi, and Bassa, along with other initiatives and interventions, are part of the immediate plans undertaken by the team to solve the electricity crisis once completed.
“We must be able to put programs in place to solve this electricity outage, and that means we must act now. To act, we need to have a roadmap that tells us where we go from here. Presently, there is an immediate Action Plan to address electricity outages. This includes a US$20 million solar plant that is ongoing and will be ready in October 2025. POS and Independent Power Producer (IPP) initiatives include a 5 MW solar plant in Bomi, a 150 MW plant installed in Buchanan, and 100 MW on Bushrod Island. With these immediate measures, we will address the electricity issues within 14-18 months when implemented,” he said.
Mr. Gonkerwon explained that management has thoroughly calculated and ensured that these plans are in line with the projected timeline to resolve the energy gap and expedite the process leading to a stable power supply.
He mentioned that upon the completion of the Mount Coffee extension, Liberia will add four units to the existing eight units at Mount Coffee. These four units will enable the hydro to produce energy during the dry season at a very low head compared to the older units.
The detailed and comprehensive plans outlined by Mr. Thomas Z. Gonkerwon reflect a proactive approach to tackling the ongoing electricity outages that have plagued the nation, aiming to provide a more reliable and consistent power supply to all citizens and residents.
According to him, if that is implemented during the dry season, the hydro will produce 45% power and 100% during the dry season, adding that the four units will total 60mgw at the Mount Coffee Hydro.
He further indicated that the energy sector has been talked about years ago, including the extension of the Mount Coffee Hydro project that they are implementing, something which he said Liberia has talked a lot.
“So, that means it will help but at an appreciable level. Now, that means during the dry, we will have our solar plant and the production that will help us with sustainable electricity’’ he concluded. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
