Monrovia, Liberia – The Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) has issued a large composite of micro utility license to Energicity Liberia. Energicity Liberia Corp, is an active minigrid developer and operator with 71 minigrids in operation across Sierra Leone and Benin.
The licensing of Energicity Liberia is in compliance with Section 5.3, application for license for the 2015 electricity law in Liberia.
The Commission’s decision to grant the license was based on a proposal by Energicity Liberia to produce and distribute energy in Gbarpolu County, according to Abu B. Sanso, Acting Managing Director of LERC, who gave a summary of the event on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 in Congo Town.
“Today, the Commission shall in fulfillment of section 5.6 and finalization of application as enshrined in the 2015 ELL issue Energicity a large composite micro utility license.”
He characterized the Commission’s action as evidence of LERC’s capacity to both meet the government’s objective of providing citizens and residents across the country with safe and dependable electricity, as well as to draw private sector investment in the electricity sector through the establishment of an enabling regulatory environment.
“In accordance with the 2015 Electricity Law of Liberia, this License is issued to the Energicity Liberia, a business registered under the laws of the Republic of Liberia, herein referred to as the “License Holder, for the Generation, Distribution and Sale of Electricity without discrimination to customers within Gbarpolu County (Totoquolle, Henry Town, Farwanta, Gbana, Zuo, Yagaryah, Takpoima, Smith Camp and Wesua) in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the License.”” Dr. Lawrence D. Sekajipo, Chairman, LERC Board of Commissioners, presented the license to Energicity Liberia.
Dr. Sekajipo stated that the license is good from July 17, 2024, to July 16, 2049, inclusive, for a duration of 25 years.
The license will allow the company to add 10 sites in Gbarpolu County to the portfolio, ranging in size from 26.88 kW in Totokolle to 750 kW for Bopolu City, the county capital, according to Neema Kezilahabi, Regional Director of Construction for Energicity Liberia, in response.
She continued by saying that the entire license will allow for the construction of a solar farm with a capacity of over 1MW and an expenditure of over $4 million, which the company has already begun.
According to Madam Kezilahabi, the company intends to commission its initial projects this year and finish all ten sites by the first half of 2026.
“We are especially happy about this license because it would allow us to enter Liberia, our third country. More importantly, this achievement signifies the first time that up to 40,000 Liberians will have access to grid-scale energy.”
According to the regional director of Energicity Liberia, families, businesses, and communities will have access to new opportunities with electricity, including lighting schools so that kids can learn after dark, powering healthcare facilities, providing internet access, and generating jobs for the community. These projects will also ensure that the local economy and skill level are enhanced.
She stated that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Rural Renewable Energy Agency are just two of the organizations the company is grateful to for their support, 24mm f/1.89 1/33s ISO4207.
“And finally, and above all, we are appreciative of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission’s unwavering assistance on this particular occasion. We anticipate carrying on our collaboration,” Madam Kezilahabi said.
