Rural & Renewable Energy Agency

PRESS RELEASE

The Government of Liberia, represented by the Ministry of Mines and Energy with the support of the Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA) is pleased to announce that it has satisfied the conditions precedent for the implementation of one of its rural electrification projects - Renewable Energy for Electrification in Liberia (REEL), funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), in tune of $US 33.74million, which will allow for the disbursement of funds to roll-out activities of the project.

On January 29, 2021, the Government of Liberia (GoL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government of Guinea, in Conakry, the Republic of Guinea. Representing Liberia was the Deputy Minister for Energy Hon. George Abou Gontor and the Deputy Executive Director for Programs of RREA Hon. Stephen Potter. The signing was in fulfillment of one of the conditions precedent to first disbursement of the loan and grants under the project, which calls for the execution and delivery of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Republic of Guinea and the Republic of Liberia, for the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) and the identified transboundary environmental and social impacts of the Project.

The other conditions precedent to first disbursement earlier satisfied are the execution and delivery of a Subsidiary Agreement between the Executing Agency (Rural and Renewable Energy Agency) and the Borrower/Recipient (Ministry of Finance and Development), which signed on July 3, 2020, and the ratification of the Loan Agreement between the Republic of Liberia and the African Development Fund. The loan was ratified on September 29, 2020, by the 2nd and 3rd Sessions of the 54th Legislature of the Republic of Liberia, and signed into law on October 8, 2020, by the President of the Republic of Liberia. A Legal Opinion for the Loan Agreement was signed on November 4, 2020, by the Ministry of Justice. The AfDB has been furnished all of the above-mentioned instruments.

Project Overview

The REEL project is a rural electrification initiative of the GOL being implemented by the RREA, with more than 95% financing from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The project was signed on January 29, 2020 for development of a 9.34MW run-of-river hydropower plant at the Gbedin Falls on the St. John River in Nimba County. Other components of the project include an 8km of 33kV evacuation line & associated substations to feed generated power in the cross-border network in Nimba County, 15km access road, and more than 50km of 33/0.4kV distribution network and 6,650 new connections in Nimba and Bong Counties; The project is scheduled for completion in June 2025.

Acknowledgement

We wish to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the AfDB for its continuous support to rural electrification interventions in Liberia. We wish to salute His Excellency, President George M. Weah for his utmost commitment in ensuring that the People of Liberia, especially rural areas, have access to improved, reliable and affordable electricity. We wish to also extend our thanks and appreciation to Hon. Samuel D. Tweah, Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Hon. Nathaniel F. McGill, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Hon. Gesler E. Murray, Minister of Mines and Energy for upholding Government’s Pro-poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development.

About the RREA

The Rural and Renewable Energy Agency was enacted into law on July 15, 2015, with the mandate to facilitate and accelerate the economic transformation of rural Liberia, by promoting the development and supply of modern energy services to rural areas, with an emphasis on locally available renewable resources.