The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) says there are enough meters and transformers in the country to be supplied to needed communities and will officially be launching an anti-power theft any moment.
LEC’s Chief Executive Officer, Monie Captan, said this in an apparent effort to policing the wave of power theft in the country.
His declaration appears commendable as many Liberians were seen applauding management with claims that most often people attributed the issues of power theft to the lack of meters and transformers.
Captan made these comments Wednesday, November 9, at the Paynesville City Hall when he officially launched the anti-power theft taskforce in the country.
The taskforce brought together scores of communities’ leaders including Liberia’s partners like the European Union Ambassador, Laurent Delahousse; World Bank Liberia’s head, KY Hong Tran, a Senior Energy Specialist; as well as Montserrado County’s Senator, Saah Joseph, Chairman on Executive Committee; representatives of Defense Ministry, Police, Drug Enforcement Agency among others.
Captan said LEC has embarked on replacement of spoilt meters and damaged transformers in targeted communities stating, “When you need a meter just ask LEC will give a meter. We have enough meters instead of stealing, ask now, we will instruct our team to connect you right now.”
He stated further that anti-power theft taskforce which is headed by Mary Broh is intended to diminish the level of power theft.
The LEC boss stressed that Liberia or LEC losses $48M Untied States dollars to power theft annually, something he termed as deplorable in Liberia.
He indicated that the anti-power taskforce launched yesterday is geared toward fighting power theft.
The team will visit communities to sensitize the public against power theft on the safe and efficient usage of the electricity.
“The team will also carry out disconnection of illegal consumers, regularization of customers with unresolved issues and agreements with reconnected customers for payment of illegally consumed electricity,” Captain asserted.
He said this is intended to get prepared as a country for the electricity coming from Ivory Coast, for the first time next month will be paid for and absolutely we have to help government to keep on the current.
It can be recalled, Liberia in October 2022 entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with CL Energies of La Cote d’Ivoire under which agreement the country will receive up to 27 megawatts of electricity beginning December 1, 2022.
In anticipation of the additional supply of electricity under this arrangement, and taking into consideration the huge losses continued to be experience by LEC as a result of power theft, the corporation has setup anti power theft taskforce to be chaired by LEC’s CEO and Co-chair by Mary Broh, Director of General Services Agency.
He said Liberians have to demonstrate good citizenship attitude and report would-be perpetrator(s) be it who is involved; report power theft even if, it is an official of LEC.
