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No one can gainsay claims by His Excellency President Brig. (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio led Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) Government that there is more sustainable and expanded electricity supply solar light nationwide as compared 2018 when the party acceded to power.
According to the result-oriented Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, who has signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with very reputable energy companies the world over, he would not relent in his effort to ensure all cities and major towns nationwide enjoy 24-hour electricity supply before the end 2023.
While Bo and Kenema in the Southern and Eastern Regions have been connected to the CLSG interconnections since December, last year, the Energy Minister recently led a high-powered delegation to Kono to symbolically erect the first electricity pylon pole to connect the district to the CLSG interconnections. The contract has already been awarded to a renowned energy company that is expected to complete the work in two months. When completed, Kono would be enjoying 24-hour electricity supply as compared to the 10 hours of electricity resident of Koidu are currently enjoying. TRANSCO CLSG were to construct five substations in Sierra Leone but only three were completed and now function, while the remaining two are currently under construction in the Northern Region and will be completed in July, this year, according to plan. When completed, Makeni and most major towns in the Northwest and Northeast Regions would be connected to the CLGS interconnection, including Kamakwie where one of the two substations under construction is located respectively.
In is avowed determination to light up the entire country by 2023, the Ministry of Energy on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) and SOL Group Ltd. UK on 11th January, 2022 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for 100 megawatts solar plant, according to a press release by the Ministry of Energy.
Consequent to the signing of the MOU, the release states, the Ministry of Energy will facilitate the acquisition of land in Port Loko district, and cost regarding lease and documentation will be borne by the company, while three engineers have been nominated to accompany SOL Group staff for the site inspection in the district.
Also, the electrification project in the district headquarters of Kabala, Kambia, Moyamba and Kailahun is nearing complete, while Pujehun, Bonthe Island and Mattru Jong are also beneficiaries of that electrification project.
According to The Satellite Newspaper, the ‘New Direction’ Government also believes that in the provision of solar light, no one should be left behind, especially in the rural towns and villages where prior to now generator was the only source of light. But today, the Power Leone company is very much busy installing solar grids in rural settlements across the country.
According to the project, it is expected that within five years about 500 rural settlement that had never experienced electricity supply would benefit from light powered by solar grid. Besides, there are many other electricity projects for which the government has signed Memoranda of Understanding with very reputable energy companies for their implementations in an effort to ensure by 2022, every nook and cranny of the country would be lit up.
