Since last week, there has been constant electricity supply in some areas in the Western Area of Freetown, after TRANSCO CLSG project reached this landmark achievement on Thursday, July 7, 2022.

Following the successful synchronization of the Sierra Leone network with the CLSG network, as well as the effective energization of the Bikongor and Bumbuna substations, TRANSCO CLSG is now supplying electricity to Freetown from an injection point in Bumbuna.

Freetown, home to over two million residents has been importing up to a peak of 50 MW from the CLSG network, according to Erick Achi, the Engineering Coordinator of TRANSCO CLSG.

On Wednesday 13 July, 2022, the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority, (EDSA), issued a Press Statement informing the general pubic that the interconnection works, testing and energization of the TRANSCO/CLSG Line from Bumbuna Substation to Freetown had been completed.

The Minster of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay said the development was consistent with the commitment of the Ministry of Energy to realizing the New Direction administration’s overall policy objective in the energy sector, with specific reference to exploring ways to help provide a more reliable and sustainable electricity for residents of Freetown.

He spoke about a variety of energy projects, including ESURP 1 and 11,the Western Area Power Generation Project and other critical projects that had been lined up for the Western Area, noting that the fusion of the CLSG line with the Bumbuna-Freetown line would now provide EGTC and EDSA with another source of power generation to add to the existing two (Bumbuna and Karpowership) that Freetown had had to grapple with.

He said the interconnection would appreciably address the issue of load shedding and atone for unexpected or unforeseen shortfalls or drawbacks that the Bumbuna hydroelectric dam and the Karpowership occasionally face.

The Minister of Energy praised President Julius Maada Bio for his remarkable political leadership and savoir-faire, adding that the type of support the Ministry was receiving from the President portends that there was light at the end of Sierra Leone’s once dark energy tunnel.