LEC Signs Landmark Agreement with CI Energies and CIE as Liberia’s Energy Sector Poised for Massive Boost

Monrovia, Liberia: The Government of Liberia, through the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), has signed a landmark power purchase agreement with a seven-year lifespan beginning 2025 to 2027 with CI-Energies in Abidjan Cote D’Ivoire.

The LEC delegation led by Mr. Thomas Z. Gonkerwon, Interim Managing Director, followed by Cllr. Emmanuel A. Tulay Chairman, Board of Directors, Mr. Adam Sheriff Head of Finance, Cllr. Malayan Keita-Brown Head, Legal Services, and Mrs. Verity Neufville-Sonkarlay Communication Manager, Mr. Tomah Seh Floyd, Sr. Chief Executive Officer, Jungle Energy Power, and Mr. Maissa Diagne Chief Executive Officer, Albedo/Libenergy, was received with a warm welcome.

At the signing ceremony held in Abidjan Cote D'Ivore, the interim managing director extended words of appreciation to the management of both CIE and CI-Energies for their unflinching support to the energy sector of Liberia. 

He acknowledged the series of discussions held with the two institutions and highlighted that by agreeing to supply Liberia energy even before all the legal arrangements, CIE and CI-Energies have shown a sign of brotherhood and that of African solidarity. 

LEC’s Power Purchase Arrangement (PPA) with CI Energies and CIE remains a commercial agreement for the purchase and supply of electricity, which has over the year provided capacity for LEC to meet its energy demand. Through the newly signed PPA, LEC’s contracted supply is 50 megawatts of electricity from its Ivorian counterpart.

According to CI Energies, the PPA is for a 3-year term and is renewable. “All parties will have to respect their role as per the agreement in order to make it sustainable,” said Mr. Noumory Sidibe, Director General of CI Energies. 

He further stated that for CI Energies and CIE to continue to effectively supply LEC the power that they need, LEC must continue to be in good standing; by this, we all would have respected the terms and conditions of this agreement. 

Mr. Gonkerwon assured his Ivorian counterparts that the Government of Liberia has prioritized the energy sector and has instructed the LEC to install prepaid meters at all government institutions except medical facilities. By doing this, electricity will now be used effectively and efficiently.

Electricity serves as a catalyst for economic growth; as such, the LEC has embarked on a mission to connect more large users, for example, the Industrial Park along the Somalia Drive, whose demand is around 27 megawatts, and the industrial free zone. 

Mr. DJAHA Kouadio Ambroise, Asset Manager at CI-Energies, appreciated the LEC for always making efforts to abide by the terms of these agreements. In the same vein, he informed the LEC of the technical challenges that CI-Energies have been faced with since last year that have reduced its production. 

In a related development, LEC has initiated a solar farm project that is expected to go live in October 2025; the repair of Unit 1 at the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant is also expected to be completed in 2025; and an expansion of the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant by two additional turbines.

While there are plans on the way for more investment in green energy, the LEC managing director said the cooperation short-term plan is to increase the capacity, which normally comes in during the dry season, to boost the generation from Mount Coffee. 

The LEC managing director said he’s confident that the country is getting closer to its national goal of increasing access to electricity for all Liberians with the growing demand for electricity.

With the signing of the power purchase agreement, LEC Managing Director encouraged customers currently connected to the national grid to use electricity efficiently and avoid wasteful consumption.