By: Isatu Bai Kamara
Residents of Lungi Township and surrounding communities are experiencing a disruption in electricity supply following a technical fault affecting the newly commissioned 10-megawatt peak RESPITE solar power plant.
The Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) confirmed that power from the facility has been interrupted and said technical teams are working to determine the cause of the problem and restore electricity safely.
The solar plant had only recently begun supplying electricity to Lungi after its commissioning, with the facility reportedly operating for about three days before the fault occurred. The interruption has raised concerns among residents who had anticipated more reliable electricity following the introduction of the renewable energy facility.
According to EDSA, preliminary investigations have linked the outage to a major fault on the newly constructed 12-kilometre, 11kV medium-voltage transmission line connecting the solar power plant to the Lungi Power Station.
The line forms an important part of the infrastructure required to transfer electricity generated by the solar facility into the local distribution network. Any significant fault along the connection therefore has the potential to disrupt the flow of power to communities dependent on the system.
EDSA said its technical teams are conducting a comprehensive fault analysis as part of efforts to establish precisely what went wrong. The teams are also assessing the condition and integrity of the affected network before determining the appropriate repair and restoration measures.
The authority has emphasised that safety remains a priority as engineers work to identify and correct the problem. It said the restoration process will be carried out carefully to avoid further damage to the network or additional disruptions once electricity supply resumes.
For residents and businesses in Lungi, the outage comes at a time when expectations were high following the commissioning of the solar facility. The project was intended to contribute to improving electricity availability in the area while supporting Sierra Leone’s wider transition towards cleaner and more sustainable sources of energy.
EDSA has apologised to residents of Lungi and nearby communities for the inconvenience caused by the interruption. The authority said it understands the impact of the outage and is treating the repair work as urgent.
However, the electricity distributor has not yet provided a definite restoration time, saying the timeline will depend on the outcome of the ongoing technical assessment and the extent of repairs required.
EDSA said it will continue to provide updates to the public as the investigation progresses, including information on when electricity supply is expected to be restored.
The authority further reaffirmed its commitment to integrating renewable energy into Sierra Leone’s electricity network and strengthening the reliability and quality of power supply across the country.
The Lungi incident also highlights the importance of maintaining the supporting transmission and distribution infrastructure needed to ensure that new renewable energy projects can deliver their full benefits to communities.
As technical teams continue their assessment, residents are now awaiting further communication from EDSA on the cause of the fault, the repairs being undertaken and when normal electricity supply will return.