Liberia Powers Up
When Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf took office a little over a year ago, electricity services in her country were virtually non-existent. After 14 years of civil war, the entire power grid was broken. Except for diesel generators owned by a handful of individuals, all power supplies were gone. The state power company, Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), was moribund - no infrastructure, no fuel source, no customers.
The president promised that she would launch an emergency power program in Monrovia, the capital city, to begin re-establishing electricity. "Small light today, big light tomorrow" became the government's slogan.
A coalition of international donors provided funding and other help. With Liberia's government and the LEC, they imported generators, rebuilt distribution networks, installed new streetlights, and began commercial service. USAID provided funding for fuel for the first several months of operation as well as technical and financial support to the LEC.
The Emergency Power Program restored electricity to Monrovia and helped rebuild LEC's operations. By the end of 2006, LEC was serving over 300 customers, mostly small businesses, hospitals, schools, and other institutions.
"Energy is fundamental to creating economic growth opportunities in post-conflict societies," said former Liberia Mission Director Wilbur Thomas, who has since retired. " A self-sustaining electricity supply is critical to Liberia's future. The Emergency Power Program is a significant first step."
The stories and photographs on this page were provided by USAID partner International Resources Group. To learn more about the group, go to www.irgltd.com.
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