Threatens Power Shading.
Monrovia, Liberia – Mohammed M. Sherif, Acting Managing Director of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), has warned to implement power shade and return to unstable electricity if Liberians persist in power theft.
During an interview with a local Monrovia radio station on Monday, May 5, 2025, Sheriff revealed his five-year plan to guarantee that all Liberians and companies have access to durable, reasonably priced, high-quality, and sustainable power.
Electricity shading, in the context of solar panels, refers to the reduction in electricity generation when sunlight is blocked by an obstruction, such as trees, buildings, or other panels, leading to a decrease in the overall power output of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. This shading can significantly impact the efficiency and performance of a solar installation.
The LEC Acting Managing Director also cautioned Liberians to pay their electricity bills and avoid power theft, as it will only force the institution to switch back to low power shading for the community, which is not good, he added.
Mohammed M. Sherif, Acting Managing Director of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC)
He added that that in order to link Liberia, they have installed between 40,000 and 50,000 meters. They have also developed a digital strategy and dashboard tracking to prevent power theft.
“Our bills need to be paid. We should reflect on all the pleasure we are experiencing. Seeing electricity when you get home from work makes you realize how much fun it can be. You don’t sleep in the heat anymore. Just consider it. If you are unable to pay, we shall return to our previous state of limited power or community electricity shade. We have a mechanism to find those who steal electricity. We can track you using our dashboard at LEC,” he said.
According to him, his vision alien with President Joseph N. Boakai energy vision; saying, “When I met the President, his vision is in five years’ time, everyone, each and every business should have access to reliable, affordable, quality and sustainable electricity. And that is the vision we carry across the board.”
In order to lessen low electricity shading, “we have created a 90-day action plan. We must work together as a group if we are to realize this ambition.”
There won’t be anything like low shading in the next five years, he explained, adding that Liberians should prepare to purchase their electricity token because the country’s recent sustainable electricity supply is here to stay due to its expanded regional power supply network with Guinea and Ivory Coast.
Speaking about domestic generation, he noted that the full value chain generation, transmission, distribution, and commercial is being examined in order to maximize domestic generation.
Additionally, in order to encourage local generation, he said, individuals working on the power plant would receive training in Liberia at a technical college and hospital. The project is anticipated to be finished in 15–16 months, with the first 140 megawatts planned.
The second project, which Sherif also revealed, is the expansion of the Mount Coffe hydropower plant to 40 megawatts from the present 88 to 100 megawatts. Additionally, there is a proposal to build 20 solar plants, which will be available by October 2025.
He said that the World Bank had agreed to supply solar batteries so that there would be power both during the day and at night rather than only relying on the sun.
From the IAC Project in the Suffering region, “we also have an additional 16 megawatts, or technically 20 megawatts. We are now working to finalize the formal lease. That is where we want to go because, when all things are taken into account, our domestic generation might not even force us to import power. In order to leverage our regional network, we are depending on imports this year.” Sheriff pointed out, however, that these are the sustainable plans for the future.
The acting head of the LEC said that on May 3, 2025, a directive was issued to transfer US$4.5 million to Ivory Coast for the payment of the energy supply, and an additional US$500,000 was transferred to cover the transmission costs.
