–Solar Power to Be Added; As TRANSCO CLSG Commissions Nzerekore Substation Soon

The Mount Coffee hydropower plant in Liberia is set to be expanded, with an additional 44MW hydropower capacity added as well as 20MW in solar power.

President George Manneh Weah, issued an Executive Order at the end of last week, directing full governmental support to the implementation of the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant (MCHPP) Extension and Solar Project. He also ordered studies for the St Paul River 2nd Hydro Project.

The President said the hydropower and solar projects were critical to national security in the country, as well as its national economic development. The Executive Order notes that the country has abundant hydro and solar resources, but so far only the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant is generating utility-scale renewable green generation.

In the Executive order, the President said that international partners, the World Bank, and the West African Power Pool, have completed the full feasibility study for the hydro extension and solar project, and it is now progressing to the fully funded implementation of these two components under the World Bank Funded RESPITE project.

He also said the World Bank and the West African Power Pool have funded, and are nearing the completion of the full and bankable feasibility study for a second 150MW hydro project on the St. Paul River.

TRANSCO CLSG has completed the construction of the Nzerekore substation and has taken another giant step to energizing the substation which significantly increases the power supply beyond the 11MW already available through the temporary solution.

Meanwhile, there is a coordinated power blackout in the city due to the pre-commissioning activities at the substation. The electricity utility of Guinea (EDG) made a public announcement on national radio urging residents to remain calm as EDG along with TRANSCO CLSG finalizes the energization process.

The Governor of Nzerekore, in a meeting with stakeholders involved in the energization process on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 said the government of Guinea is in support of the blackout as TRANSCO CLSG and other partners work to re-establish a much stronger and reliable power supply to his city and its environs. The Governor acknowledged that the work being carried out at the substation is crucial to Nzerekore having an independent energy supply.

The commissioning of the Nzerekore Substation will strengthen the city’s power grid and ensures a more reliable and efficient power supply to the commercial hub in the forest region of Guinea.

The TRANSCO CLSG 225kv transmission line into Nzerekore is engineered to meet the needs of the city’s industrial, commercial, and residential sectors and neighboring cities. Nzerekore had been temporarily supplied from the CLSG Yekepa Substation in Liberia.

According to the General Manager of TRANSCO CLSG, Mohammed M. Sherif, TRANSCO CLSG, through its EPC contractor has constructed and is testing the Nzerekore substation. The formal commissioning of the facility will be held from February 17 to 24, 2023.