The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has unveiled plans to address short, medium and long term challenges to provide electricity to 280,000 customers. The plan also geared toward extending service to other parts of the country.
LEC’s Communications Manager, Philip Farley disclosed that the entity has secured US$96 million from the World Bank for the construction of a solar plant.
Speaking Sunday, June 30, 2024 at the National Polit Bureau of Liberia in Clara Town, Farley explained that the construction of the plant will be completed within 15 months.
He said LEC had previously secured US$300 million from the World Bank to construct a mixed hydro power plant valued at US$500 million which will produce both solar and hydroelectricity.
During the rainy season, he said the plant will supply power through its solar output while utilizing its hydroelectric component during the dry season.
According to him, the LEC has been licensed and is providing electricity to 280,000 customers in Montserrado, Margibi, Bomi, and Grand Cape Mount Counties. However; Farley disclosed that the Corporation is losing 45 percent of its profit to power theft.
He said when Monie Captan, Chief Executive Officer of LEC, took over, he inherited huge arrears at ECO Bank, 12 months salaries for employees and contractors.
“Secondly, all four power plant generators were broken down; but as we speak, all the generators are working and supplying electricity to the populace,” he said.
The LEC Communications Manager stressed that each of the four generators consume 1,500 gallons of fuel per hour, which he said costs the corporation huge sums of money daily.
According to him, LEC has already made arrangements for the importation of over 300,000 meters and the first 100,000 are expected in a few months.
Commenting on damaged transmitters, he said before the replacement of a transmitter, the LEC will assess how many customers are connected to it, while detecting and disconnecting illegal customers to avoid overloading the new one which is very expensive.
