By Ralph Sesay
The Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, has told journalists at the Weekly Government Press briefing that only 16% of Sierra Leone has access to energy.
Minister Kanja Sesay who was updating the media on the status of energy generation, distribution and supply in the country since they took over, disclosed that the country’s energy sector is in a crisis spanning over two decades.
He indicated that the issue of generation, transmission and distribution are critical to the sector.
The network they inherited, according to the Minister, to transmit electricity from one area to another in Freetown and the entire country is weak and very old, and hence government and its partners are hugely concerned around ensuring that they replace the old transformers and transmission lines with a view to improve the quality of electricity supply.
He indicated that they are satisfied as a Ministry in terms of the energy situation in the Western Area even though they are struggling with the energy situation in Bo and Kenema.
The Energy Minister also disclosed that government is heavily subsidizing the Electricity and Distribution Authority (EDSA) to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
EDSA, according to him, is not able to generate sufficient money compared to what they expend in the distribution of electricity.
Government, according to Minister Sesay, is worried and concerned about such a trend.
The Minister also intimated journalists on the nature and status of the Karpowership contract that the Government of Sierra Leone entered into with a Turkish company and the Bumbuna hydro power electric projects which, according to him, are the main sources of power for Freetown.
He also reiterated the fact that government is seriously challenged in terms of providing sustainable energy to Kenema and Bo as most of the turbines are down.
The Energy Sector, he stated, is constrained largely with the issues of low access rate, low shedding, high operational costs and high commercial and technical loss due to people stealing electricity.
He concluded by giving updates on the West African Power Pool Project and stated that most of the power stations in country that will transmit power to various areas in the country are almost ready.
Minister Kanja Sesay disclosed that there is a stalemate between the Government of Sierra Leone and the developers of the Bumbuna Phase two project largely because government is worried that the tariffs for the project is very much higher compared to other countries in the sub-region.
Government, he acknowledged, will continue to negotiate with the developers with a view to get money for value or work out of the negotiations.