Sierra Leone — As Sierra Leone now focuses on rebuilding her economy after an unprecedented health crisis, the country will soon benefit from the construction and operation of a 50 MW power plant.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB), on 17 December, 2015 in Abidjan, approved a senior loan of up to USD 20 million to fund up the construction and operation of a 50MW Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), interconnection facilities and a fuel pipeline in Kissy, four kilometers east of Freetown, Sierra Leone.
This project provides a unique opportunity for Sierra Leone to address its energy deficit using an independent power producer (IPP) solution to allow for affordable prices. It will be implemented by both Tempus Constant Qualitas Power Limited (TCQ) and CEC Africa Investment Limited (CECA).
In a country with over 50% supply deficit of electricity generation capacity and only 10% of the population currently having access to electricity supply, the new power plant is planned to add 60% generation capacity to the grid and create opportunities for private sector investment. This Project is essential in supporting the country’s post Ebola economic recovery.
The much needed power plant will allow Sierra Leone to meet the power demand of its households, commercial/industrial users as well as boost economic activities. It will also facilitate the delivery of social services such as health care, education, clean water supply thereby improving the living conditions of Sierra Leoneans. Upon completion, the plant will serve as the largest base load plant in Sierra Leone.
The energy sector in Sierra Leone was almost totally destroyed during the 11 years of civil war that spanned from 1991 – 2002, causing the city’s electricity distribution cables and underground water pipes to suffer from decades of underinvestment, poor maintenance, criminal damage and theft. But so too are the city’s thermal electricity generators and water reservoirs.
Since the end of the war, the government of Sierra Leone has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the rehabilitation of the Bumbuna Hydro-electricity dam, the installation of new diesel powered generators at Kingtom and Blackhall Road.
