The Government of Liberia (GoL) and the European Union (EU) will commission the newly constructed Congo Town Electricity Substation, which will enable the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) to address the increasing electricity demand in Monrovia during a ceremony on tomorrow, August 16 at LEC Congo Town Substation on the Old Road.
According to a joint press release from all stakeholders, the ceremonial event will host the delivery of “Certificates of Recognition” and the “Ribbon Cutting of the New 66/22kV 40MW Congo Town Substation” accompanied by high-level remarks by the Presidency of Liberia, the Head of the European Union Delegation to Liberia, the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Liberia Electricity Corporation.
The electricity power infrastructure works carried out across Monrovia are known as the “Light Up Monrovia” Project.
It is implemented under the “Monrovia Consolidation of Electricity Transmission and Distribution” Project, funded by the European Union (EU) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) with a total budget of Euro 48.1 M (US$ 51.3 million).
The release noted that, the Light Up Monrovia (LUM) project is being implemented by MBH Power Limited, Intec-Gopa, and the LEC, as thousands of homes and businesses in Monrovia and its environs are now benefiting from a safe, accessible, and cost-efficient electricity power supply from the National Grid.
With the construction of the new Congo Town substation on the Old Road, and the extension of additional three substations around Monrovia, the LEC is now providing electricity to approximately 41,000 households.
In addition, more than 70 communities in Central Monrovia, Sinkor, Congo Town, Paynesville, and outside of Monrovia are currently benefiting from LEC’s enhanced power supply generated by the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant with an increased capacity and use of cost-efficient means.
The release indicated that, under the project, 2,510 streetlights have been installed within the communities of the Greater Monrovia area for the safety and security of citizens.
Also, within the scope of the project, more than 40 internship students and young engineers were recruited from the engineering departments of universities in Monrovia.
The interns were deployed at several construction sites and were offered hands-on training in electrical, civil, and general engineering safety, and were provided with toolkits to enhance the technical and professional management capacities of the human resources in the sector.
Head of Delegation of the European Union to Liberia, Ambassador Laurent Delahousse said the EU is proud to be funding a project that will improve the livelihood of Liberians.
He stated that, “In the Global village, there can be no substantial development without electricity. Light is Life. I am proud and glad that the people of the European Union contributed with this great project to improve the livelihood of many Liberians. Let us light to live.”
The Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah, who is also the National Authorizing Officer, thanked the EU for being a true partner towards Liberia’s development.
“The EU’s assistance for us in the energy sector to provide our people and businesses with access to affordable electricity is very valuable and essential. Electricity is crucial for our industries and commercial customers such as manufacturers and traders. With this improvement in our energy infrastructure, we expect to spur economic growth and create more jobs,” he added.
He also thanked the technical teams, MBH Power Limited, Intec Gopa, LEC, and other partners involved for their excellent collaboration, which is necessary for the project’s success.
Today’s commissioning of the Congo Town Substation demonstrates a significant effort towards government’s commitment to electrify Monrovia, its environs, and the entire country.
The “Monrovia Consolidation of Electricity Transmissions and Distribution Project” is funded under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) and has 24-month duration.
A similar project was implemented under the 9th EDF for the electricity grids. Under the two programs, the EU has earmarked and invested substantially in the energy sector with a total budget of approximately 100 million Euros in Liberia.
In 2018, the Liberian Government signed a “Transmission and Distribution” contract together with the Delegation of the European Union to Liberia, MBH Power Limited, and Intec-Gopa to design and build 66KV over headlines and extension of existing 66/22/10KV power that will help Monrovia to absorb more electricity from the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant to be transmitted to substations on Bushrod Island, New Kru Town, Capitol Hill, Congo Town, and Paynesville.
In collaboration with the EU, the National Authorizing Office (NAO) Unit of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning monitors the project to manage, coordinate, program, and oversee the EU-funded projects in Liberia.
The EU is one of the leading donors in Liberia. Its concrete interventions and financial support under the EDF are carried out across various sectors, such as energy, transport, environment, health, technical and vocational education, and good governance.
Created in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome and launched in 1959, the EDF is the EU’s main instrument for providing development aid to African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries and overseas countries and territories. The EDF funds cooperation activities in economic development, social and human development, and regional cooperation and integration.