The African Development Fund has approved an additional $7.41 million to support completion of Liberia’s Renewable Energy for Electrification project. The financing will cover cost overruns related to construction of a run-of-river hydropower plant, associated infrastructure, and project management delays. It will also fund previously under-financed activities, including implementation of the Gender Action Plan.
According to the African Development Fund, the additional funding will help ensure “completion of the hydropower plant, its integration into the grid and the full implementation of safeguards.”
The project is a joint initiative between the Government of Liberia and the African Development Bank Group. It was approved on 31 October 2019, with financing agreements signed in January 2020. Construction began in March 2021.
The main component is a 9.34MW run-of-river hydropower plant located at Gbedin Falls in Nimba County, designed to generate an estimated 56.5GWh annually. The plant will be connected through an 8km, 33kV evacuation line to two transformer substations, and linked to a cross-border transmission line. The project includes construction of a 15km permanent access road and an 8km temporary road to the hydropower site.
Infrastructure works also include installation of 50km of 33/0.4 kV distribution lines and household connections for 6,650 homes in Nimba and Bong counties.
When completed, the plant is expected to contribute about 6.9% of Liberia’s total electricity supply, adding 56.5GWh per year to the national grid. The project will extend electricity access to approximately 60,000 people, including direct grid connections for around 6,500 residents.
The African Development Fund is the concessional lending window of the African Development Bank Group.
