Liberia: Cheaper Electricity in Sight

Oct 20, 2014 | Liberian Observer
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The Conex Crude Storage Terminal (CST) project in collaboration with the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company ("LPRC") is expected to be completed in December this year, says Lutech, the contracting company hired to do the construction work for this project.  Upon completion, the CST facility, located near the Bong Mine Pier on Bushrod Island, will be used to bring in Heavy Fuel Oil, which is expected to enable the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) reduce the cost of electricity as a public utility by at approximately 50%.  

Mr. Hassan Kiawu, communications consultant for Liberia Electricity Corporation confirmed to the Daily Observer LEC’s parallel activities to make ready for the HFO facility at LPRC. According to him, LEC has three HFO power projects – power generating systems built to be fueled specifically with HFO. One of them, through a partnership with Japan, is a 10 megawatt facility whose mechanical work has already been completed. The other two include another 10MW facility funded by the World Bank and an 18MW facility funded by the Government of Liberia, both of which were expected to be dedicated by March and July next year, respectively, but may experience delays due to the Ebola crisis.  He said, however, that these facilities could increase LEC’s power generation capacity and at the same reduce the cost to consumers by approximately 50%.