PHOTO: (L-R) ICCO CEO Ihab Serhal exchanges deal with LEC Managing Director Monie Captan
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Liberia Electricity Corporation and the International Consolidated Contractors Offshore have signed a 16 million United States Dollars agreement for the installation of solar plant and extension of the Mount Coffee Hydro plant.
LEC Managing Director, Monie Captan, signed on behalf of the corporation; while, Ahab Serhal, Chief Executive Officer of the International Consolidated Contractors Offshore, signed on behalf of institution.
Speaking shortly after the signing ceremony, LEC Managing Director, Monie Captan said the agreement, named regional emergency solar power intervention project, is sponsored by the World Bank.
According to him, the project, which is expected to be completed within one year, will be able to supply electricity to Monrovia and its environs during the dry season.
Mr. Captan added that the project will also involve the expansion of the Hydro Plant in Mount Coffee in order to be able to use the solar to supply electricity both in the raining and dry seasons
“This is the very first time in the history of Liberia that we are embarking on the solar energy project that is utility scaled t will produce about 20 megawatt pick and will also help reduce the problem of electricity during the dry season,” Mr. Captan stated.
“It will solve a huge amount of the problem of the electricity during the dry season but it will give additional electricity that we do not have today and make a significant impact,” the LEC CEO added.
For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the International Consolidated Contractors Offshore, Ahad Serhal assured the LEC that his company will endeavor to construct a solar plant that will last Liberia for a number of years.
He commended the Liberian government led by President Joseph Nyumah in his efforts to engage in the infrastructural development especially in the energy sector in the country.
The CEO of the International Consolidated Contractors Offshore company also thanked the World Bank for providing funding for the project
Serhal added that his company is not a stranger to Liberia because they have constructed schools and hospitals for the World Bank in several parts in the country
According to him, the ICCO will like to contribute to a sustainable power sector in Liberia by using the similar experiences in the construction of solar plants in other parts of Africa.
Serhal re-affirmed his company’s commitment to high standards of environmental and healthy practices in its undertaking in its area of operation
Also remarking at the signing ceremony, an official of the World Bank, Mohamed Sagib assured the Liberia Electricity Corporation of bank’s fullest cooperation making the project a success.
For his part, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of LEC, Counselor Emmanuel Tulay, thanked the World Bank and the International Consolidated Contractors Offshore for making the signing ceremony a success.
The signing ceremony was graced by senior staffs of the International Consolidated Contractors Offshore, the Liberia Electricity Corporation and the World Bank.