NEW TURBINE WILL NOT SOLVE ELECTRICITY PROBLEMS : A U. S . $90 MILLION DEBT SLPP OWES ENERGY PRODUCING COMPANIES IS WHAT HAS PLUNGED NATION INTO TOTAL DARKNESS ( According to World Bank )
By Kabs Kanu
The so- called new electricity turbine imported by the SLPP that has been welcomed with the usual empty noise will not solve Freetown’s electricity problems, as being claimed by SLPP propagandists.
Sierra Leone is in pitch darkness not because there are not new turbines to generate electricity. There is no light in Sierra Leone because the SLPP Government owes rising debts to private energy companies known as Independent Power Producers ( IPP ).
According to one of Sierra Leone’s leading newspapers, THE REFORMER, dated November 14, 2025, who quoted the 7th edition of the World Bank Sierra Leone Economic Update, the debts owed by the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority ( EDSA ) to the IPPs , “ excluding the Electricity Generation and Transmission Company ( EGTC) , rose sharply from $70. 6 million in December 2024 to $91 million in July 2025. “
The newspaper, based on the World Bank report, said the EDSA’s mounting debt poses a serious risk to government’s finances and “It presupposes that if the EDSA cannot pay the IPPs, they might find it difficult to keep the lights on, leading to potential blackouts and further government spending just to keep the sector running. “
The problem will therefore not be solved by the new turbine. “ Economists warn that without stringent reforms to improve EDSA ‘s revenue collection , reduce power theft and ensure better financial discipline , the Energy Sector will continue to drain the national budget and threaten overall economic stability “, the paper reported .
So, a new turbine will not solve the electricity problems. The World Bank had warned that until the SLPP government puts structures in place to ensure financial discipline , pay the power producers that keep the lights on and stop the debts from continuing to mount, the blackouts in Sierra Leone will continue.
The first thing the government must do is pay the electricity producing companies. It was learnt that apart from the $90 million the SLPP owes the IPPs, the government owes an additional $50 million debt to the Turkish Karpowership that was producing light for Freetown.
The above is a manifestation of the inability of the SLPP government to diagnose problems correctly and try to solve them from the root causes.
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STATE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR MYK BEREWA WRITES
The first turbine for the 108 MW Nant Power project has landed in Freetown, which is a huge milestone for Urban Freetown . Sierra Leone is about to experience a new surge in energy capacity. This means better power supply, new job opportunities, and a positive push forward. Year of Action !
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