Monrovia — The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has announced a significant expansion in its energy generation which now allows Liberia to export electricity to the Ivory Coast.
This marks a key milestone in Liberia’s energy landscape.
According to Chief Executive Director of the LEC, Mr. Monie Captan, the decision to ramp up energy exports comes as the nation takes advantage of surplus electricity generated during the rainy season from the Mt. Coffee Hydroelectric Plant.
According to Captan, Liberia exported a substantial amount of electricity to the Côte D’Ivoire’s power grid through the West African Power Pool’s CLSG (Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea) interconnection. The move has not only demonstrated Liberia’s energy export potential but has also contributed to the reduction of Liberia’s debt with Côte D’Ivoire Energies (CIE).
“We are pleased to inform you that we exported $547,933 worth of electricity to the CLSG, while our imports through the same grid amounted to $76,740. Our net income from these exports stands at $471,193, which will be credited against our debt with CIE,” stated Monie Captan.
Captan added: “The surplus energy export has been made possible by the optimal performance of the Mt. Coffee Hydroelectric Plant, which has benefited from the rainy season’s increased water flow. This excess electricity generation has translated into export earnings that will contribute significantly to offsetting LEC’s energy bills with CIE.”
Despite this promising development, concerns have been raised about the persistent challenges related to domestic electricity distribution. Brewerville City, in particular, continues to face a lack of electricity supply. However, Captan said, the absence of electricity in certain communities stems from the inadequate distribution network infrastructure.
“The reason communities are not connected is due to the lack of a distribution network in those areas. This requires funding to build medium and low voltage transmission and distribution backbone, along with transformers and service drop materials,” Captan explained. He further emphasized that funding from donors takes time, but LEC has already initiated efforts to connect some communities independently.
Highlighting the financial constraints, Captan acknowledged that expanding the electricity network is a costly endeavor, and resources are limited. He urged the community to address the issue of power theft, as it significantly impacts LEC’s revenue collection and hampers the extension of the network.
To address the challenges of electricity meters, Captan revealed that LEC is taking steps to resolve the issue. “We will be receiving 100,000 meters next week, which will help in improving metering accuracy and reducing losses,” he stated.
“The Liberia Electricity Corporation’s endeavors to boost energy exports and address domestic electricity challenges underscore the nation’s commitment to achieving a more robust and reliable energy sector, while also contributing to regional energy cooperation,” he said.