By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The Ministry of Energy with funds from DIFAID through the Bo, Kenema electricity rehabilitation and extension project has on 21st August 2021 presented transformer to the Energy distribution Agency (EDSA) and the stakeholders in Kenema for the West Africa Power pool Project powering Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Energy, Engineer Dr. Edmond Dakona Wuseni said the power transformer will receive the electricity from Ivory Coast through Liberia onto the Tiloma transmission station at Bandama and then onto EDSA power house in Kenema.
He added that the Kenema powerhouse would then distribute the electricity to the smaller transformers at various stations for public consumption. He said upon completion of the project, it would light up places such as Boama station, Jembel, Yomadu, Blama including other bigger towns along the Bo/Kenema highway.
Eng. Wuseni added that the work will officially be completed in March 2022 but however said the light will be in Sierra Leone very soon. “We know the date the power will come to Sierra Leone but the official pronouncement will be done by the President when commissioning the project,’’ he said.
He said EDSA has done all they could to ensure that the connection of the power line from Tiloma sub station to their power source in Kenema is actualized, and assured that Bo and Kenema will soon enjoy 24 hours electricity.
Eng. Wuseni reiterated that the power demand for Kenema is approximately about 5 megawatts and that from projection, Kenema city power supply within the next five years is expected to be eight 8 megawatts through a transformer that will serve for fifty years.
He disclosed that the Bo and Kenema project costs 67 Million United States dollars and that seventy five percent is funded by DIFAID through grant while twenty five percent was funded by the African Development Bank as grant with a small loan.
In his statement on behalf of the people of Kenema and Eastern Province in general, the Resident Minister East Andrew, Ansu Fatorma said the project was part of the promises of the government to the people of Sierra Leone to address the problems of electricity.
The Resident Minister East said upon the completion of the first phase of the project, there will be a plan to mitigate electricity theft.
He noted that the electricity transformation drive is for the entire country, as it will attract more investors to come because without sustainable electricity it will be difficult to get investors into the country.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online
