Over the weekend, a high power delegation from the Liberia Electricity Corporation, World Bank West Region Office and the Ministry of Mines and Energy paid a visit to Valayanah, Lower Bong County to engage with local residents for the construction of the proposed “St. Paul 2” hydropower dam project (SP2).
The objective of the delegation was to see the exact location of the project, have joint in-house engagement, interact with the community, see the topography of the area and have a technical brief from the project manager.
The joint assessment was in consonant with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s first Energy Sector Roundtable at the Executive Mansion along with key stakeholders in the sector, where he gave 100% support to the project with the World Bank committing itself to US$300,000, 000.
The interaction with the local communities and visitation of the site couple with the technical brief of the project is part of the feasibility studies.
The average cost of the project is estimated around US$500, 000, 000, but the Government of Liberia has received a commitment of US$300, 000,000 from the World Bank.
SP2 is an initiative of the Government of Liberia headed by the Ministry of Mines and Energy and development partners, particularly the World Bank and implemented by the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) through its project Implementation Unit (PIU).
Providing a technical brief to the World Bank delegation at the project site through the Project Manager, Bill Hakins said the SP2 is the second project of the St. Paul River hydropower cascade divided into four main components.
According to him, the project has 6.5km dams including main and saddle dam, creating a reservoir of 264 million, while it also has an intake and a powerhouse comprising of 3kaplam× 49mw=148, annual energy output of 758 GWH.
He disclosed that the third component include about 80km of 225kv transmission line connecting the project to Mount Coffee substation and upgrade of 27km access road from Bong Mines to the project site.
“There are more feasibilities that will be coming out over the next few months, weeks and years that include the economic and the environmental and social safeguard studies. These studies are going to guide the plan for the project looking at transmission line, farmland, the safety of homes and the water, and also the animals living there. If there is a means for relocation all of that thing will be address,” he concluded.
Also speaking, World Bank Regional Director, Franz Dress-Gross extolled the residents of the town for their warm welcome and expressed happiness that they have demonstrated love for the project.
“Today we have come to hear from you if you want this dam. We have built dams in many countries. We want this project to bring light to the Liberian people. This project is big,” he stated.
For his part, the Corporate Communication Manager of LEC Philip Farley described the Bank’s commitment as a great step in achieving the project while expressing optimism for the remaining.
