Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Dr David Moinina Sengeh, has engaged officials from the Ministry of Energy, the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority, Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on how to improve energy access in the country.

He expressed government’s commitment to maintenance the generator plants at Black Hall Road, which had a generation capacity of 17 megawatts and the Kingtom Power Stations, which had a generation capacity of 10 megawatts.

“Once they are maintained, we will be able to generate over 20 megawatts of electricity. Similarly, plans are underway for the Dodo Hydro Dam in Kenema to be upgraded,” he informed the energy experts.

Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, told the Chief Minister that 54 of the existing solar mini grids were owned by the government, noting that people in rural communities were benefiting from 3 kilowatts per hour for each household from the solar mini grids.

“Since January to date, the government of Sierra Leone has spent US$13 million to subsidise energy for Sierra Leonean electricity consumers. Last year, over 700 billion Leones were given as subsidies by the government. This effort by the government is to cushion the cost of energy tariff for consumers,” he said, noting that the current tariff rate did not correspond to the exchange rate.