23 September 2013, Monrovia – A contract for the construction of a 10MW Heavy Fuel Oil Fired Generation Plant has been signed by representatives of Liberia’s Electricity Corporation (LEC) and China National Technical Import and export Corporation (CNTIC) to augment electricity production by the corporation.
The contract which was signed at the headquarters of the LEC on U.N. Drive, Water Street is funded by the World Bank, and to be constructed by CNTIC on the Bushrod Island facilities of the LEC.
The project will cost 12.8 Million United States Dollars and is expected to be completed within sixteen months following the signing of the contract which took place recently.
In his signing remarks, LEC’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Mr. Joseph T. Mayah, said the contract is another boost to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s, vision to reconstruct Liberia’s energy sector to produce electricity at affordable cost for Liberians especially the low income earners.
Mr. Mayah said this task started in 2006 when the process to re-electrify Monrovia started with the Emergency Power Program (EPP) with high speed diesel plants that has increased electricity generation to over 22 MW.
He hoped for a fruitful relationship between the CNTIC and LEC during the construction period of the project which will further cement the ties of the two corporations.
In his remarks, Mr. Liu Yunbiao, the Economic and Commercial Counselor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, said the contract is “another successful three-way cooperation between the World Bank, the Government of Liberia and the Chinese Company CNTIC.
He said that the huge gap in power supply and the high cost of electricity are constraints to the national economic and trade development in Liberia.
Mr. Yunbiao concluded by saying that the Chinese Embassy in Monrovia will urge the CNTIC to complete the project with good quality work and within the time provided for the project.
– The Inquirer