Big Boost for the Energy Sector

General Manager of Transco CLSG, Mr. Mohammed M. Sherif, Media personnels and contractors of Mount coffee tour Transco-Electricity project sites.

Monrovia, Liberia - The inspection of facilities at the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant by General Manager Mohammed M. Sherif of the Transmission Company for Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea (TRANSCO CLSG), is a boost for the energy sector, ahead of February 2021 commissioning of the project.

On Saturday, January 23, 2021, GM Sherif along with other contractors toured and inspected the CLSG project site including transmission lines and substation at Mount Coffee Hydropower plant, in White Plains, Montserrado County.

The commissioning of phase one in February 2021 is expected to reduce the demand for electricity in both rural and urban areas of project target communities.

Mount Coffee Hydro Power plant substation is the largest of the CLSG projects in the four countries. The electricity line will run from Ivory Coast through Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone with the capacity of carrying over 200 megawatts of high voltage, affordable and uninterrupted electricity powering heavy manufacturing and production.

According to GM Sherif, the ‘Man’ substation in Cote d'Ivoire is the main source of energy transmission.

He disclosed that significant progress has been made in the construction work of CLSG project with an actual, and overall completion rates of 90 percent. He added that the progress of the transmission line section from ‘man’ to Monrovia is estimated at 99 percent which pave the way to the delivery of electricity to Liberia by February 2021.

He praised the President of Liberia, Dr. George MannehWeah through the effort of the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Samuel D. Tweah Jr. for the full commitment and unwavering support to the CLSG interconnection project.

He also thanked the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Samuel D. Tweah Jr. for his leadership role in fulfilling Liberia’s financial obligation to the project and the pivotal role he played that had led to the speedily implementation of the project come February 2021 despite the COVID-19 outbreak.

He emphasized that in “order for us to prepare for CLSG electricity, Minister Tweah is currently spearheading a one-stop-shop solution, including bringing together all parties involved in the implementation of the CLSG project to ensure the delivery of stable and affordable electricity in February 2021 is overwhelmingly achieved”.

He explained how Liberia was at the bottom of the implementation trail from the beginning of the project, but with the robust leadership role shown by Minster Tweah, he had surpassed other CLSG member’s countries in fulfilling its obligations to the project implementation.

‘’ The President of Liberia, Dr. George M. Weah has made access to energy for all Liberians a priority and underlines the urgent need for stable and reliable electricity in the country and has expressed his happiness for the ongoing CLSG interconnection project and await the first commission in February 2021.

He stressed that the Government of Liberia through the political will power of President Weah, commitment, Liberia portion was at 20 percent of financial contribution at ground level, but as of today, the current administration had taken it to 99 percent of completion.

‘’ The support and commitment demonstrated by the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has 'speed' up the project way beyond the other countries,’’ he added.

Launching in February 2021, Liberia’s portion will be added to the already generating Liberia Electricity Cooperation (LEC). It will reduce the price of electricity significantly in Liberia.

The TRANSCO-CLSG project was initiated by four countries' governments during the Sirleaf administration and International partners, including the World Bank, African Development Bank, German Bank, and other development partners.