Monrovia, May 8 -- Liberia has made notable progress in its post-war recovery, but the energy sector has long been a persistent challenge. The country's primary source of electricity is the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant in White Plains, which has a maximum generating capacity of 88 megawatts. However, output has plummeted to just 35 megawatts due to the seasonal drop in the St. Paul River's water level.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

To supplement the shortfall, the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has relied on thermal power plants at Bushrod Island, which use fuel oil. Yet, even with that backup, the national grid has been unable to meet growing demand. Load shedding became the norm, and many ...