Liberia to achieve 35% of rural electrification by 2030
Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA) Executive Director Augustus V. Goanue says a comprehensive rural energy master plan has been developed in consultation with stakeholders and partners, aimed at achieving 35 percent rural electrification in Liberia by 2030.
Speaking at the Ministry of Information on Thursday, 14 September, Mr. Goanue said in line with the global, regional and sub-regional initiatives and Liberia’s Agenda for Transformation and Vision 2030, the RREA aims to achieve electricity access in the rural areas.
According to the RREA chief, electrification rate for the population outside of Monrovia is set at 10 percent in 2020; 20 percent in 2025 and 35 percent in 2030. By 2025, he says RREA’s aim is for all counties capitals to be electrified, including all health facilities and secondary schools.
To make the target achievable, he notes that RREA seeks to establish a credit or subsidy mechanism for connection of poor and “woman – led households” through Rural Energy Fund, and promote active participation of women in the jobs that will be created by electrifying the country.
Mr. Goanue adds that RREA is working in three phases, saying phase one runs from 2015-2020, phase two from 2020 to 2025 and phase three from 2025 to 2030.
The RREA chief discloses that phase one is the setup of the energy master plan and the implementation of ongoing and planned projects, for which he indicates that about US$262 million dollars is needed. In this phase, he says RREA has 92 projects and 21 initiatives.
Giving some historical background, he notes that the RREA started as a prototype within the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy following the formulation of the National Energy Policy in 2008.
He says the Agency was established by Executive order #23 in 2010, giving the RREA a semi-autonomous status. The RREA was established by legislation in July 2015, thus giving the agency full autonomy. It governed by Board of Directors.
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By Ethel A. Tweh –Edited by Winston W. Parley
