The core of the current crisis, according to the LEC chief, lies in a dramatic 54% increase in electricity demand over the past year. As the corporation pursued an aggressive expansion strategy that successfully connected over 60,000 new customers, the national requirement jumped from 92 megawatts to approximately 142 megawatts. A major disruption in the supply chain occurred when Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia’s primary external power provider, suffered technical failures at its own key plants. Nevertheless, the Senate expressed deep concern over the “demand surge without supply security,” urging a more synchronized approach between network expansion and generation planning. The hearing also addressed internal friction within the energy sector, as the LERC criticized the LEC for significant communication failures.

Source: GNN Liberia March 20, 2026 11:11 UTC