MONROVIA, Montserrado – Michael Sahr, communications officer at the World Bank’s Monrovia office, says the construction of the 66 kV transmission line to Kakata under the Liberia Acceleration Electricity Expansion Project has suffered delays.

The project aims to increase access to electricity and strengthen institutional capacity in the electricity sector.

Responding to a Bush Chicken inquiry about the status of the project, Sahr said the contract suffered delays due to deferrals in payments of affected people during the administration of former Liberian president Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, coupled with the numerous line diversions.

“The project is now scheduled for completion in August 2018,” Sahr said.

Sahr explained that phase two of the project, which involves building a distribution network in Kakata and other communities along the route, has been completed but no customer connections have been made because of the phase one delay.

“A total of 4,800 single phase meters and 400 three phase meters totaling 5,200 were planned to be installed under phase one of the project,” Sahr noted.

He said the connection of meters would be done under a different contract “once the transmission line under phase one of the project is completed and commissioned.”

Sahr mentioned that the contract for the distribution network construction in Monrovia under phase three is complete and that 20,000 meters are planned to be installed under this contract.

Along the Suakoko Highway leading to Kakata, poles are still being planted while distribution lines have not been completed.

In May 2013, the World Bank announced that it had approved two International Development Association credits totaling US$45 million to support expanding electricity coverage.

The first US$35 million credit, according to the World Bank, would support the Accelerated Electricity Expansion Project and would help expand electricity to about 10,300 new users not only in Monrovia but also outside of the capital.

Featured photo by Zeze Ballah