Liberia: LEC to Institute Limited Load Shedding Due to Impact on Energy Supply

 

The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) Tuesday, January 17, reported a sharp increase in energy consumption that is affecting the country’s energy supply. 

The network peak load has increased, according to LEC, from an average load of 55 MW to as high as 73.2 MW during the evening hours.

“Therefore, in order to meet the needs of all customers, it has become necessary to institute limited load shedding,” LEC said in the statement.

As a last resort, load shedding is used to balance the supply and demand of electricity across the national electricity market.

“LEC urges its customers to conserve energy and turn off appliances and lights when not in use, especially during the evening hours when consumption is exceedingly high. Energy conservation by consumers will reduce the energy demand and the level of load shedding. Load-shedding schedules will be managed hourly and daily in response to peaks in energy consumption.”

LEC contracted 27 MW from CI Energies of La Cote d'Ivoire to help compensate for its energy supply deficit, which represents the maximum allocation available to each CLSG country. 

The management stated in the press statement that it has exceeded its allocation from CI Energies due to the increase in energy demand. Consequently, CI Energies has informed the LEC that it cannot provide additional energy because of a limited energy supply. Furthermore, energy supplied by the Mt. Coffee hydropower plant has declined due to low water levels.

“In addition to the 27 MW supplied by CI Energies, LEC can generate up to 18.5 MW from Mt. Coffee, depending on water inflow, and has an additional installed thermal generation capacity of 28 MW." LEC will meet a demand of approximately 50 MW this dry season, compared to the 14 MW supplied during the last dry season. It is therefore expected that load shedding will be limited in scope and duration, lasting until the return of the rainy season in June 2023.”

LEC, however, gave customers the reassurance that an additional electricity supply is planned for the upcoming dry season to address the enduring issue of an energy supply deficit in the dry season.