The Commissioner-designate of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC), Amara Kamara, says it is the inadequacy of service delivery and poor performance that has troubled the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) over the years.
During his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, Kamara outlined plans to implement power control mechanisms to mitigate commercial losses in the system promising that when confirmed by the Liberian Senate, his administration will prioritize these measures to enhance service delivery, accountability, and efficiency in the Liberian energy sector.
Kamara emphasized that those issues had taken away confidence in the LERC’s ability to regulate and ensure accountability among stakeholders and the public and outlined several initiatives aimed at addressing these challenges, including securing government budgetary support and aligning donors with priority areas.
He pledged to engage closely with the LEC to assess the impact of tariffs on consumers, ensuring that consumers do not bear the burden of the utility’s inefficiency adding, “We will work closely with LEC to insure assess of electricity and the impact of tariffs on consumers are not burdened on them.”
Kamara highlighted the importance of promoting economic investment in the energy market to increase revenue generation, emphasizing the need for sustained regulatory awareness and enforcement of International Standards Organization (ISO) codes for electrical materials and consumables.
The Commissioner-designate also announced plans to facilitate the formation of an Energy Sector Working Group, focusing on regulatory governance, policy oversight, and operations and as well underscored the importance of involving Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in discussions to enhance the sector’s efficiency and effectiveness.
He stressed that prioritizing investment in the energy sector is vital for unlocking Liberia’s potential and driving sustainable development reiterating, “We need to involve Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in discussions to enhance the electricity sector’s efficiency and effectiveness; this will also unlock potential and sustainable development for the electricity sector.”
Kamara promised to establish a sustainable relationship with Transco-CLSG and CI Energies, with a focus on increasing power imports through CLSG to address immediate demand, resolve legacy debts, and honor ongoing obligations.
