MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Liberia Electricity Corporation’s project to extend the electricity grid to western Liberia has resumed.

The project was suspended in 2018 by the World Bank because of the lack of an environmental social impact assessment permit from the Environmental Protection Agency.

When completed, it will benefit communities such as Chicken Soup Factory, Johnsonville, LPRC Community, New Georgia, Chocolate City, Iron Factory, Barnersville Old Field, Caldwell, Doe Community, Virginia, and Brewerville. The project is also expected to extend electricity to Tubmanburg, Bomi and Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount.

According to the press release from LEC, the project will connect an additional 33,000 new customers to the electricity grid and “household and businesses located in areas of greater Monrovia northwest and in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties, including commercial and industrial customers, would account for 16 percent of the new connections.”

LEC said the project would see the construction of four new substations in Virginia, Kle, Stockton Creek, and Gardnersville.

During a February 10 town hall meeting in Caldwell organized by LEC, Edwin Fahnbulleh, the assistant director for planning, told residents about the resumption of the project.

“Please make sure your homes are properly wired to avoid electrical shock when our team starts the connection,” he said.

“Almost all materials needed to complete the project are in the country.”

Fahnbulleh warned residents against paying any money to get connected illegally.

Brendan O’Connor, the network supervisor, further urged the residents to prevent electricity theft from infiltrating their network when the lights are finally switched on.

O’Connor explained that power theft had contributed to damaging more than 100 transformers.

Francis Woods, the commissioner of Caldwell Township, promised to work with LEC to prevent power theft.

“My office will not hesitate to report residents caught in power theft,” he said.

Woods said his administration would strive to protect LEC’s infrastructure, as residents have yearned for electricity for far too long.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah