Energy Reformation
Milele Energy Updates Sierra Leone’s Energy Minister on the Western Area Power Generation Project,Says Project will Address In-Country Demand for Electricity
By:Austine Luseni
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Energy
Contact: 077377042/034157390
Conference Room, Ministry of Energy, Freetown, Tuesday September 13,2022————- A delegation from Milele Energy headed by its Vice President, Michele van der WestHuizen, has called on Sierra Leone’s Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay,to update him on the Western Area Power Generation Project.
United States Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Sierra Leone, Stephanie Bunce, who accompanied the delegation, said the United States Government was committed to supporting the project, stressing that the project was well and truly on course.
While updating the Minister, Vice President Michele WestHuizen said some considerable and encouraging progress had been made thus far in respect of the project,noting that the project would positively impact future energy generation drive in the country.
She said they had been working collaboratively with the Sierra Leonean authorities with a view to putting together an energy package that would be acceptable to all and that would leverage the country’s quest to realize its overall policy objective in the sector.
Chief Executive Officer of Tempus Constant Qualitas Power Ltd., Karim Nasser, said several sub-contractual agreements had been concluded. He said the Russia-Ukraine war and its attendant ramifications was however posing a serious challenge to some aspects of the agreements being implemented.
In his response,Energy Minister, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, expressed his delight at receiving the visiting team,adding that President Julius Maada Bio was keenly interested in the project and was eager to see its actual physical commitment.
He described the Western Area Power Generation Project as critical to the country’s energy sector reforms and urged the team to fast track the processes of determining the EPC and the timeline of the project. Mr. Sesay said he was looking forward to witnessing the ground-breaking launch of the project early next year.
Director General of EDSA, Abu Kamara, said the facility would be built and operated by the sponsors but would be turned over to the Government after the life of concession.
He said the first phase of the project stood at 83.5 megawatts,noting that it had the potential to hit 140 megawatts if the second phase of the project was ignited.
The energy sector reforms continue.
