By Saio Marrah
In a bid to improve electricity supply especially in the eastern part of Freetown, Parliament has approved the power purchase agreement between the government of Sierra Leone and Milele and TCQ Power for the generation of 148.5megawatt power that will provide 24 hours electricity.
The project worth 217 Million Dollars is funded by the United States Development Cooperation making it the largest United States Investment in Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay informed journalists after the approval of the project in the house of parliament on Tuesday 21st December, 2021that the ministry was committed to expanding energy access and supply in the eastern part of Freetown.
He said it is environmentally friendly because it will not be using heavy fuel like diesel that has issues with the environment and will instead be using renewable energy or Liquid Purified Gas (LPG) which is natural gas.
He said the project will be divided into three phases to include an initial 83.5 megawatts and building of a terminal for fuel storage and later construct a plant.
The minister said the timeframe for execution of the project will be 18 months.
Prior to the approval of the agreement, the minister told the lawmakers that energy supply is a driving force for socio -economic development in every country.
According to the minister, government is to lease a land to the company for the project for 25 years.
He noted that the project will be employing about 500 Sierra Leoneans and that 80 percent of civil works will be provided by Sierra Leoneans.
According to him, the electricity road map from 2018 to 2030 is target to increase from the 100 megawatt to 1800 megawatt.
Member of Parliament Abdul Kargbo of Constituency 077 Port Loko District, after thanking the minister for the increase of electricity access in his constituency, Lungai, called for more. He also called on the minister to make sure the project operates according to the content of agreement and to make sure the issue of bad light that destroys properties of people be addressed.
He also noted that the quality of energy will attract foreign investment in the country as well as making the city beautiful.
Chernor Maju Bah, of constituency 126, after commending the project, noted that World Bank and ECOWAS Investment and Development Bank (EBID) would not have supported it if it was not environmental friendly.
The Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Abass Bundu, was among the various contributors that applauded the project and acknowledged the minister’s effort in bringing the several electricity projects in the country.
The minister assured the MPs that his ministry will make sure they monitor the project and warned if it deviates from the content of the agreement, penalty will follow.
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