Monrovia – The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) appears to be financially strangulated as it struggles to purchase Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) to ensure stable supply of electricity to its numerous customers.
In a statement issued in Monrovia recently, the LEC management said the corporation is unable to fully fund the procurement of HFO during this dry season.
The statement adds that the reduced water inflow at Mount Coffee Hydro has resulted in the LEC reverting to the “more costly” HFO generating station.
The corporation pointed out that it has begun “load shedding” to ensure that electricity will be available to everyone for the longest period possible.
According to the statement, the management of the LEC has resolved to disconnecting non-paying large customers.
“LEC had hoped that this dry season’s demand would be met by the new CLSG line, which aims to connect Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea to share excess power with each other,” LEC said in a statement.
“However, connection to this regional grid has been delayed to March/April 2020. LEC has engaged in an aggressive programme to disconnect non‐paying large customers and has gone to International tender for HFO, thus ensuring the lowest cost of fuel to LEC. We remain unable to fully fund HFO procurement.”
However, the situation could change depending on increased water flow or early rains at Mount Coffee, in which case LEC will respond accordingly LEC January 20 2020, LEC stated.
Meanwhile, the LEC has cautioned customers to always treat the electricity system as live, because power can be restored at any time, while calling on its customers to conserve energy by turning off appliances and lights including fridge and freezers when
“LEC had hoped that this dry season’s demand would be met by the new CLSG line, which aims to connect Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea to share excess power with each other.”
– Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC)
LEC is a public utility created in 1973 by the Government of Liberia. The entity was developed through an act of Legislature with a mandate to produce and supply economic and reliable electric power to the entire nation, while at the same time maintaining the corporation’s financial viability.
LEC obtains the responsibility of ensuring that efficient, reliable and affordable electric power is available, not only to meet the increasing demand for electric energy in Liberia, but also serves as a catalyst for socio-economic development.
From 1973 until late 1989, Liberia’s electricity service was largely limited to the capital of Monrovia and environs; around 35,000 customers—almost 13 percent of the population—were served by 1989.
LEC also handled the electricity supply of rural areas outside Monrovia through 10 small isolated power systems with a total installed capacity of 13 MW.
The remainder of Liberia’s electricity infrastructure was almost entirely destroyed during the periods of civil unrest in Liberia.
Efforts have been underway since 2006 in order to restore the Monrovia grid, expand the mini-grid, and expand stand-alone power systems in the interior.