Sierra Leone Telegraph: 21 October 2025:
Sierra Leone’s electricity supply problem is as old as the country itself. Successive governments have failed to come up with a sustainable solution to this crisis that is not only crippling the nation’s economy but affecting the delivery of safe healthcare and other vital public services.
With less than thirty percent of homes in the country having access to regular electricity supply, mainly through generators, the people of Sierra Leone are getting fed up of government promises.
In the last fifteen years, hundreds of millions of dollars – if not billions, have gone into government coffers for the rehabilitation of power stations and the country’s main source of electricity – Bumbuna Hydroelectricity Dam.
However, most of that money have vanished through corruption and bad management.
What seems to be growing without any longterm outcome, is the number of agreements signed by government for more funding and expertise to solve the problem.
Last week, the government announced that it has signed in Washington D.C., a lease agreement with Release by Scatec, a leading global renewable energy provider, to deploy a 40-megawatt (MW) fast-track power plant in Kamakwie, Karene District, North-West Sierra Leone.
According to the government, the Kamakwie project will stabilize Sierra Leone’s national grid and expand access to clean, reliable electricity across the northern region. The modular, containerized power solution it says, will provide sustainable energy tailored to the country’s growing industrial and domestic demands.
Chairman of the government’s Energy Governance Coordination Group, Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, who is now labelled as “Dr Borku talk and no results”, describes the agreement as a milestone in the government’s mission to address energy challenges, particularly outside the capital.
“This partnership represents a significant milestone in the Government’s efforts to meet urgent energy demands in the provinces for industrial growth and improved living standards,” Dr. Kandeh Yumkella said. “The Kamakwie site was strategically selected for its grid accessibility, enabling EGTC and EDSA to sell excess power to the regional network.”
The government says that the initial lease term of the Scatec fast-track power plant will be five years, with options for extension or purchase starting in year six. The plant’s modular design allows future expansion and integration of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to strengthen grid stability.
Dr. Kandeh Yumkella also said that President Julius Maada Bio is expected to officiate the groundbreaking later this year, adding to the endless number of grounbreaking ceremonies without any longterm results, that president Bio has officiated since coming to power in 2018.
Scheduled for commissioning in the second or third quarter of 2026, the Kamakwie power project aligns with the Government’s Mission 300 Compact, which aims to add 1.17 gigawatts (GW) of new generation capacity by 2030, the government says.
How much will this cost?
Minister of Finance, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, without mentioning the cost of the project to Sierra Leone and where the funding will come from or how it will be financed, described the agreement as a pivotal step in Sierra Leone’s energy transformation agenda.
“Signing this agreement with Release by Scatec marks a major milestone for the implementation of our Mission 300 Compact. We deeply appreciate the support of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank in facilitating this groundbreaking project.”
According to the government, the Kamakwie plant will boost Sierra Leone’s renewable energy capacity to 167 MW, effectively doubling the country’s solar generation by 2026. The project is also expected to reduce dependency on costly diesel power, lower operational costs and create local jobs during both construction and operation phases.
Hans Olav Kvalvaag, Chief Executive Officer of Release by Scatec, said: “We are very pleased with the strong partnership we have built with Sierra Leone. Their readiness to act swiftly to meet urgent energy needs, combined with our innovative modular solution, has been vital in advancing this project. We remain committed to supporting Sierra Leone’s efforts to deliver clean and dependable electricity to communities nationwide.”
Release by Scatec is an independent, majority-owned subsidiary of Scatec ASA, a global renewable energy solutions provider. The company says it delivers affordable, sustainable and rapidly deployable solar PV and battery storage systems through a flexible leasing model designed to accelerate clean energy access in emerging markets.
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