𝐁𝐲: 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢.
The Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Eldred Taylor, has called on the Commandant at the Armed Forces Training Centre at Benguema and inspected the site marked out for the construction of a 33/11KV primary substation which he described as one of the biggest energy projects in the western rural district.
Dr. Taylor informed Colonel Hassan Sulaiman Jalloh that he had called on them at Benguema to keep them up to speed with plans for the construction of a 33/11/kV substation on a parcel of land owned by the military. He said the Ministry of Defense had been engaged on the issue, stressing that the two Ministries had demonstrated exceptional spirits of collaboration.
He said EDSA was now working with community stakeholders and the project affected persons for the payment of the necessary compensations, adding that this aspect of the project would soon start.
The Deputy Energy Minister noted that the project was awarded to the implementing company last year but that the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic had adversely affected the commencement of the project. He said the World Bank, which had provided the credit to the Government of Sierra Leone, was keen on adherence to issues of safeguards.
Outlining the strategic importance of the project with respect to evacuation, distribution and access to quality electricity, Dr. Taylor said that the project would address the challenges associated with the evacuation of power from Wellington to Waterloo.
He bemoaned the current quality of supply and the carrying capacity of transmission lines between Wellington and Waterloo but assured that once the project was completed and the lines improved on by threefold, over 40 communities including Tombo and Newton would start to enjoy quality electricity.
He concluded by saying that the project would be completed by the end of this year and appealed to the military to provide the necessary security and collaboration.
Chief Contractor Ing. Su Junbao said there were five primary substations catered for by the project, citing Aberdeen, Falcon Bridge, Cline Town, Jui and Waterloo as places identified for the construction of these substations.
He assured that his company would work overtime or spare no efforts in ensuring that the project was completed on time.
Commandant at the Armed Forces Training Centre, Colonel Hassan Sulaiman Jalloh, welcomed the Deputy Minister and his entourage and expressed his delight at playing host to such a massive energy project.
He said they would do everything to provide security and were looking forward to amicably working with the Ministry of Energy and the company that would be implementing the project.
The energy sector reforms continue.
