By Sallieu S. Kanu
Saturday, March 1, 2024, Macoth Solar Farm – On the first day of Ramadan, Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman of the Energy Governance Coordinating Group (EGCG), visited the 10 Megawatts operational and 15 Megawatts construction sites of the Macoth Solar Power Plant.
Dr. Yumkella was accompanied by Deputy Minister-2 Designate Dr. Abdul Rahim Jalloh, Chairman of EGTC Ing. Alpha, Director General of EGTC Milton Gegbai, Director General of EDSA Joe Lahai, and several engineers from the Ministry of Energy, EGTC, and EDSA. The visit aimed to assess the ongoing expansion work, which is in an advanced stage.
The 25 Megawatts project, led by Planet Solar Energy, is currently generating 10 Megawatts of power. The remaining 15 Megawatts is expected to be completed by mid-April, according to the Project Manager of PSE.
Dr. Yumkella and the delegation expressed excitement over the project’s progress. “The visit has been very impressive, and we are excited about how soon they are reaching their 25 Megawatts target in a few weeks by April 27th. This will be a good Independence Day gift to residents of Freetown,” said Dr. Yumkella. He also urged Planet Solar Energy to ensure reliable electricity supply for Macoth town residents.
Dr. Yumkella suggested installing battery storage to provide additional power at night. As part of the Mission 300 projects, he called for more data collection to understand operational costs and efficiency better.
Planet Solar Energy is also working on a 12 Megawatts project for Bo and Kenema and a 3 Megawatts project for Port Loko, all expected to be ready by early next year.
Deputy Minister-2 Designate of Energy, Dr. Jalloh, urged the company to meet their target and deliver on schedule. The Director Generals of EDSA and EGTC expressed excitement over the full 25 Megawatts that will be coming from Macoth to Freetown, which will help ease the electricity crisis in the city at a cheaper rate for customers. Dr. Yumkella called on Freetown residents to be patient and hopeful, stating that by 2026, the country will transition to a more sustainable and reliable energy supply for all.