Stakeholders Discuss Mini Grid Operations’ Challenges
Austine Luseni
Communications Specialist
Ministry of Energy
During a meeting held on Tuesday 12th December,2023, at the Conference Room of the Ministry, Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr. Eldred Taylor, together with the Chairman Presidential Initiative on Food Security, Renewable Energy and Climate Change, Dr. Kandeh Yumkellah, superintended over what could be described as a productive energy stakeholders’ engagement to discuss emerging concerns around Sierra Leone’s flourishing mini grids.
Minister Taylor said that energy was a critical driver of national development, and that this was the reason that President Julius Maada Bio prioritized the sector. He furthered that the dialogue was meant to be an open one, with the view to proffering solutions to the emerging operational challenges that the mini grid sector was faced with.
The Deputy Minister went on to say that the creation of the Office of Presidential Initiative on Food Security, Renewable Energy and Climate Change and the appointment of Dr. Yumkellah, was an indication of how committed President Bio was to realizing his government’s overall policy objective in the sector.
“Over the last few months, the Strategy has been able to identify 800 mini grid sites, which are considered to be viable. This creates the platform for a bigger mini grid market. The impact of mini grids is phenomenal and immeasurable,” he said.
Dr. Taylor concluded by speaking about the role the sector was expected to play in helping the country realize its ‘Feed Salone Initiative.’ He called on stakeholders to look into the issue of mini grid tariffs, and praised donor partners and private sector players for their support.
Chairman, Presidential Initiative on Food Security, Renewable Energy and Climate Change, Dr. Kandeh Yumkellah, said the meeting would present an opportunity for frank discussions around mini grids, and for operators to lay bare the operational challenges they were facing.
Managing Director of PowerGen, Hassan Suma, spoke about the difficulties his company and other companies were faced with in relation to tariffs. He called on the authorities to look into the issue.
The energy sector reforms continue.