Is it political shenanigans or reality talk? VP Koung's Shining Picture of Liberia’s Energy Sector

Philadelphia, USA: Liberia’s Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung recently stood in a room predominantly occupied by investors, energy experts, and international dignitaries at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington, D.C., where he painted a bright picture of electrification, regional cooperation, and American engagement in solving Liberia’s energy crisis.

The Vice President echoed Liberia’s commitment to energy reform and a future where access to electricity would be a cornerstone of national growth and development. 

While VP Koung boasted about regional interconnectors, foreign investments, and ambitious hydropower expansions, the reality is far from the glowing optimism projected at the summit.

Liberians continue to grapple with acute power shortages, skyrocketing tariffs, unreliable supply, and an energy sector that currently swims in allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and political lip service. 

Rural communities rely on candles and kerosene lamps while businesses are crumbling under the weight of unreliable electricity and huge generator costs due to an unstable power supply. Students in rural parts of the country struggle to study at night, and essential services remain vulnerable to power outages. 

The disconnection between high-level policy discussions and on-the-ground realities is a major issue in Liberia’s energy narrative.

Liberia's energy sector has been marred by decades of neglect, mismanagement, and infrastructure decay.

Back then, in 1989-2003, when Liberia descended into chaos and bloodshed, one of the first casualties was the power grid.

Rebel and government forces alike targeted energy infrastructure, destroying transformers, looting substations, and turning a once-thriving energy sector into ruins.

By the end of the war, the entire country was in darkness. Transmission lines had been stolen and sold as scrap metal. And the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), which once provided power to the nation, became nothing more than a name on a decayed government file.

For more than a year after the cessation of war activities, the country functioned without a national power grid, and the few who could afford electricity relied on noisy private generators.

The Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant, once a symbol of national pride, was rendered inoperative during the conflicts. Its rehabilitation completed in 2018, restoring a power capacity of 88 MW, offering hope. Despite this, the LEC operates a limited grid, primarily serving the greater part of Monrovia. Consequently, a vast majority of Liberians rely on privately owned generators, bearing exorbitant electricity costs.

Vice President Koung, in his address, pointed to a 31% increase in electricity access and highlighted Liberia’s participation in regional energy initiatives like the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and the Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea (CSLG) Interconnector Project. These initiatives aim to enhance regional energy trade and improve stability.

In a bid to enhance its electricity supply, Liberia has engaged in cross-border energy collaborations. Notably, the country signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Côte d'Ivoire's CI-Energies to import electricity. This agreement, formalized in March 2025, aims to stabilize Liberia's energy supply and reduce the frequency of power outages. 

However, this partnership has faced challenges. In mid-2024, Côte d'Ivoire reduced its electricity supply to Liberia by 80%, citing internal power generation issues. This reduction exacerbated power shortages in Liberia, highlighting the vulnerabilities of relying on external sources for electricity. 

Additionally, financial disputes have strained relations; Côte d'Ivoire threatened to cut off electricity supply over a US$196 million unpaid debt, underscoring the financial challenges within Liberia's energy sector. 

At the Powering Africa Summit, Vice President Koung painted a visionary picture of Liberia's energy future and highlighted plans to expand hydropower capacity, bolster solar infrastructure, and explore wind energy solutions.

Notably, the proposed expansion of Mount Coffee from 88 MW to 132 MW, the 20 MW SCATEC solar project, and the ambitious 150 MW St. Paul 2 Hydropower Project.

He also extended an invite to U.S. businesses and investors to explore opportunities in Liberia's energy sector, emphasizing off-grid electrification, transmission infrastructure, and green energy innovation.

"The success of the Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea (CLSG) interconnector project, enhancing regional energy trade and benefiting approximately 2.8 million people," VP Koung asserted.

While these initiatives sound promising, they contrast with the shocking present reality at home.

Edited: E. Geedahgar Garsuah, Sr.