Monrovia, Liberia – A notification submitted by Jungle Energy Power (JEP) asking for a revision of the recently established power rate is presently being examined by the Liberia power Regulatory Commission (LERC). This follows public hearings on February 18 and 19, 2025, in Nimba and Bong counties, when stakeholders, companies, local government officials, and others voiced yheir opinions on power supply in Liberia.
Aleyou Keita, the general manager of JEP, told the Commission in its request for reconsideration that the cost of power from CIE (Compagnie Ivoirienne d’Electricité) had gone up from $0.15 to $0.16 per kWh since January 2025.
Keita suggested that the consumer pricing be changed from $0.22 to $0.24 per kWh. Additionally, he suggested that doing away with the 0.1 cent administrative fee levied by the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), claiming that doing so will enable more effective electricity distribution throughout its service regions.
Additionally, Keita has recommended that the Liberian government or LEC lower the purchase price from CIE to $0.12 per kWh, keeping the rate at $0.23 with a $2.00 fixed fee.
When a new tariff is established and service providers feel that certain criteria were overlooked, they have the right to request a reconsideration, according to LERC Chairman Hon. Claude J. Katta, who also outlined the objective of the public hearings. The Commission then halts the new tariff and conducts public hearings in compliance with appropriate regulatory standards to guarantee openness and permit public involvement.
The hearings were moderated by Chairman Katta, Commissioners Kla-Edward Toomey, II, and Amara M. Kamara, and Managing Director Augustus V. Goanue. Participants included JEP, businesses, civil society organizations, interest groups, local government officials, stakeholders, and members of the public from Nimba and Bong counties. There were more than 100 people at each session of the public hearings.
Charles Umehai, the deputy minister of energy, commended LERC for organizing the hearings and emphasized the Ministry’s dedication to ensuring cooperation between the Commission and authorized operators in order to satisfy JEP’s and its clients’ needs.
In addition to a new monthly fixed charge of $1.25, LERC had previously announced in December 2024 that the energy charge would be reduced from $0.25 to $0.22 per kWh. The Commission also announced a significant reduction in the connection charge, which has been lowered from US$100 to US$40 for new customers wanting to connect to the grid.
This change is aimed at making electricity more accessible to residents by covering the cost of materials for connections while the remaining costs will be recouped through the revised energy tariff.
The revised prices are scheduled to go into effect from March 2025 to February 2029, and LERC is anticipated to reach a judgment about JEP’s notification for reconsideration in March 2025.
Reported by: Prince Saah
Contact: +231778239813
Email: saahprince119@gmail.com
