Africa-Press – Liberia. Through the Liberia Accelerated Electricity Expansion Project, LACEEP, the Liberia Electricity Corporation has installed 31 transformers in the New Georgia Community to give light to over 4,000 residents.
LACEEP is a World Bank funded project, aimed at increasing access to electricity and strengthening institutional capacity in the electricity sector. The project has three components. Both LEC and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) are implementing partners.
LEC is responsible for the implementation of the first component, which is the extension of electricity transmission and distribution systems that will provide access to power to about 10,300 new users between Monrovia and Kakata.
MME is responsible for overall project coordination and implementation of component two, the construction of facilities for off-loading, transport, and storage of heavy fuel oil (HFO); as well as Component Three which provides support to strengthen MME’s institutional capacity.
The project was approved by the Board of Directors of the International Development Association (IDA) on May 30, 2013. The Financing Agreement between IDA and the Republic of Liberia was signed on July 3rd, 2013, in the amount of SDR 23,400,000 (US$35 million).
Turning over the transformers, Project Engineer, MBH Christian Fiagbedzi explained that the transformers are being installed as a result of an assessment done by the team and they realized that their community needed 31 transformers.
“We anticipate load growth in four to five years’ time; in case the load should grow, LEC can come in to upgrade the transformers. We sent a team to register houses so that we know the capacity of the transformer to put in the community.”
Ben Fomba, Jr., Electrical engineer, commended the World Bank for providing the transformers, adding that the installation will help to generate more revenue and increase LEC’s reliability and stability.
He called on the community to take ownership of the transformers and ensure proper management and care and report incidents of power theft.
“LEC is not going to install one line man to a pole, so the community needs to help us when it comes to supervising and getting those that will cause irregularities.”
Ezekiel Sampson, Project Implementing Unit Supervisor, World Bank said the 31 transformers have five thousand forty-eight meters installed and each house will have a meter.
Thomas Kamara, who proxied for the community chairman, appreciated the installation and promised to mobilize to protect the transformers from power theft. According to him, there has been a series of engagements with the residents to discourage them from power theft. “We have been from house to house, telling people not to engage in power theft,” he said.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
