By sulaiman.sesay@awokonewspapersl.com
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Freetown residents enduring months of erratic blackouts finally received an official explanation yesterday: the capital is suffering a crippling 20-megawatt electricity deficit, leaving households and businesses in prolonged darkness.
The alarming revelation came from Engineer Milton Gegbai, Director General of the Energy Generation and Transmission Company (EGTC), during a press briefing at Electricity House. His disclosure paints a grim picture of Sierra Leone’s energy crisis, with the nation’s power backbone – the Bumbuna hydroelectric plant – operating at a fraction of its capacity.
Gegbai laid bare the stark numbers:
- Bumbuna currently generates just 8 megawatts
- 6 megawattsdiverted to power Makeni and Magburaka
- Freetown receives less than 1 megawatt
“The water levels have dropped dramatically due to climate change and harmful human activities in the catchment areas,” Gegbai explained. “We need 80 megawatts to meet demand but face a 20MW shortfall.”
The crisis extends beyond Freetown. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, revealed Sierra Leone needs 130 megawatts nationwide but currently generates only 68 megawatts.
Yumkella outlined immediate solutions:
- Emergency generator repairsat Kingtom and Kissy power stations
- New investment tendersfor energy projects using Build-Operate-Transfer models
- Promised improvementsby mid-2026
Presidential Adviser Alpha Khanu didn’t mince words about the human role in the crisis. “We are the architects of our problems,” he stated, urging strict compliance with environmental protections around Bumbuna’s watershed.
The officials agreed on one critical point: Sierra Leone must develop its own generation capacity rather than rely on stopgap solutions. With the Finance Ministry now releasing funds for critical maintenance, Gegbai expressed cautious optimism – but Freetown residents, sweating through another sweltering night without fans or refrigeration, may need more than promises.
As the dry season persists, one question looms: How long must Sierra Leoneans wait before the lights stay on? SKS/2/4/2025
