By By: The People News Online
Monrovia, Liberia — The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has sharply responded to public claims blaming the ongoing power disruptions on the dry season, describing such assertions as misleading and rooted in a poor understanding of how Liberia’s electricity sector operates.
In a detailed press statement issued Monday, LEC said recent commentaries circulating in the public space are driven largely by speculation, especially given that Liberia’s power system remains heavily dependent on regional electricity imports.
The corporation clarified that at no point has its management claimed that Liberia’s electricity challenges have been fully resolved or that risks linked to seasonal changes and external supply constraints have been eliminated. While acknowledging significant improvements in power availability over the past nine months — the longest period of relative stability in decades — LEC stressed that the sector remains structurally vulnerable.
LEC also dismissed the notion that the recent stability was simply a product of the rainy season, noting that Liberia experiences two seasons, each lasting about six months. According to the utility, rainfall alone cannot account for nine consecutive months of improved electricity supply.
The statement explained that during this period, the Mt. Coffee Hydropower Plant generated approximately 57 megawatts and continues to produce the same output, particularly during nighttime hours after reservoir recovery. When combined with about 12 megawatts from thermal generation, Liberia’s total domestic electricity production stands at roughly 69 megawatts.
However, national demand has risen sharply to an estimated 130 megawatts, compared to 94 megawatts when the current LEC management took over, creating a supply deficit of about 61 megawatts. This gap, LEC said, has been bridged through electricity imports from Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea.
The corporation attributed the current outages to scheduled maintenance works on power generation facilities in both Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea, which have temporarily reduced the amount of electricity available for export. LEC emphasized that such maintenance activities are standard global practices and affect all power-importing countries in the region, not Liberia alone.
Addressing broader concerns, LEC pointed to years of underinvestment in domestic generation capacity, noting that power plants cannot be built overnight and typically require at least 18 months for planning, financing, construction, and commissioning. As demand continues to grow, these historical gaps are becoming more pronounced.
Ironically, the utility said, the recent period of stability has restored confidence in the electricity system, encouraging increased consumption by households, businesses, and institutions, thereby further widening the demand–supply gap.
While acknowledging public concern, especially where outages affect hospitals and other critical infrastructure, LEC urged citizens to rely on facts rather than alarmist narratives. The corporation reaffirmed that neither it nor the Government of Liberia believes the electricity challenge has been solved.
LEC reiterated its commitment to diversifying energy supply, expanding domestic generation through Independent Power Producers, strengthening the grid, enhancing regional coordination, and maintaining transparent engagement with the public as part of the government’s energy sovereignty agenda.
The corporation encouraged customers to contact its toll-free line, 4500, for assistance and said media inquiries should be directed to its Media, Communications, and Public Affairs Division.
