The project aims to rehabilitate Monrovia’s power supply and rapidly expand roll-out of the network to a significant share of the population – about 16,806 low-income households - over a five-year period. In February 2007 the International Finance Corporation (IFC) signed an advisory mandate with the Government of Liberia (GoL) to introduce Private Sector Participation in the Liberian power sector. IFC has prepared a number of scenarios, including one for a 20-year concession model to rehabilitate power supplies in Monrovia as part of its advisory mandate.

A grant agreement between Liberia Electricity Corporation and GPOBA was signed, in Monrovia on December 21, 2011.

The benefits of switching from expensive self-generated diesel power to the network with cheaper generation costs (HFO/hydro)  will make electricity more affordable for the poor. In addition, there will be an increase in the supply of electricity to consumers who today cannot afford to self-generate electricity but rely on lower-quality substitutes for lighting including candles, kerosene and car batteries. The GPOBA grant is expected to support about 16,806 additional connections over the first five years.

The GPOBA grant will offset part of the capital costs associated with building the transmission and distribution networks for Monrovia. The grant will also subsidize connection costs for individual households. Specific outputs under the proposed projects will be (i) availability of power in all districts, including lower income areas, as per the successful commissioning of power substations in all areas, and (ii) the facilitation of individual and metered household connections. Specifically, the GPOBA grant will cover part of the overall subsidies required for the distribution/household connections components.

TBD

Fanny Missfeldt-Ringius