MONROVIA: The Government of Liberia with funding support from the 11th European Development Fund (EDF), under the Monrovia Consolidation of Electricity Transmission and Distribution Project otherwise known as the “Light Up Monrovia (LUM)” Project, on Friday, March 5, 2021 switched on the first public electrification of the Peace Island Community also known as 540 Community in the Congo Town Township.
About 1,800 households in the Peace Island Community will for the first time over 15 years of darkness experience electricity from the national grid. The materials, which are being provided to ensure power distribution, are free including meters, wooden and concrete poles, as well as wires to connect all of the households.
Dr. George M. Weah, President of Liberia and Ambassador Laurent Delahousse jointly commissioned the lighting up of the Peace Island Community.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion include a high-power members of the Development Community including EU Member States and EU Delegation staff, senior government officials, the Liberia Electricity Corporation Management (LEC) Team, the project implementers, including MBH Power Limited and Intec Gopa, Local authorities of the Congo Town Township and the Peace Island Community dwellers.
Meanwhile, the Light Up Monrovia Project is a 50.5 million United States dollars European Union Fund that is expected to electrify about 38,000 new homes in Monrovia and its environs.
Peace Island, like other communities under the project will get power source from the Paynesville substation and the newly constructed Congo Town substation which is located near the James Spriggs Payne Airport.
Other areas expected to benefit from phase one of the Light Up Monrovia project include Central Monrovia, Capitol Hill, Parts of Sinkor, including Jallah Town, Saye Town, Old and New Matadi, Airfield, Lakpazee, Fiamah (around the Barrolle Practice Ground), Spriggs Field community, and Wrotto Town.
Additional communities to benefit from the phase one connection include parts of Old Road which are KeyHole, the Transformer Community, Chugbor, Gaye Town, and America Colonization Society (ACS) Community as well as around Nigerian House, Paco Island, and Congo Town Back Road communities.
The project includes the construction of a double circuit 66kV transmission line and the construction of a 66/22kV substation with two 20MVA power transformers on the Old Road. It also includes the construction of a new 22kV medium voltage distribution line strung on high quality concrete poles.
In addition to the 38,000 homes to be connected in Monrovia and its environs, 2,100 streetlights will be installed.
The project when completed will close the gap between the main transmission line connecting Bushorld Substation, Capitol Substation Congo Town Substation and Paynesville Substation.
Some LEC staff have been given training to enable them maintain the facility when completed.
About 40 engineering students of the University of Liberia and Stella Maris Polytechnic – both males and females are also being provided training under the project to enhance their theoretical knowledge, a release issued by Bernard Abraham Waritay, Communications & Visibility Officer of the National Authorizing Officer (NAO), Executive Mansion Grounds, Capitol Hills Monrovia and Jesadeh TC Boley, Press and Information Officer, EU Delegation to Liberia said.
