Jimmy N. Nyanwapolu- Energy Policy Analyst
The Government of Liberia is commended for issuing Executive Order (EO) 137 under the signature of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. The EO symbolizes the political will power of the Government to rally domestic and international commitments in securing Liberia’s energy sovereignty. The overarching goal aims to optimize sustainable access to renewable energy infrastructures and accelerate private sector investment opportunities through the development of an Independent Power Producers (IPP) framework. It also responses to the global energy transition call to help mitigate the effects of climate change.
To address the Country’s chronic electricity inadequacy, maximum performance of the high-level Steering Committee (SC) and Secretariat is very critical in achieving successful outcomes of the referenced St Paul 2 (SP2) hydropower project and the proposed Solar Independent Power Producers (SIPP) initiative to guarantee a year-round electricity sufficiency. This means that robust policy actions with achievable milestones and effective coordination are key to generating the anticipated donors' appetite and greater private sector participation in the energy sector. Energy consumers education and awareness are also important in driving this Order.
The EO precedes the 2009 National Energy Policy (NEP) and 2015 Rural Energy and Strategy Master Plan (RESMP). These energy instruments were developed through the exerted expertise of energy professionals and stakeholder engagements but public awareness on their implementation reviews, successes and challenges remains limited. This Order reassures Liberia’s energy actors and consuming public that reliable and affordable access to electricity is a national imperative. As such, the Executive and the Legislature must jointly go further by enacting these plans into new energy laws with achievable time-bound milestones, especially thriving towards an IPP regime
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