By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
The Chief Minister, David Moinina Sengeh has called out places of worship like churches, mosques as well as Ministries, Departments, Agencies and residential homes for what he said are illegal electricity abstractions and non-payment for services.
Sengeh was speaking at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s press briefing on 30th April this year at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ conference room in Freetown.
He expressed concern over electricity theft leading to revenue loss by the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA), making it impossible for the distributor to meet its financial obligations to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) such as the Karpowership.
Sengeh suggested a minimum ten year jail term for those accused of stealing electricity.
He went on to assure that energy issues will be addressed through sustainable, affordable and renewable solutions across the country.
"We have had more energy in the country than over the last seven years, but that doesn't mean there have not been challenges," he admitted, and spoke of how as a government they have been pumping more state funds into the energy sector. He added that they have provided electricity to four major big towns in the country, such as Kabala, Karene among others, and that over 120 communities have got renewable energy.
The Chief Minister described energy as “costly” across the world and that government has been subsiding.
On the high demand for power in the city, Sengeh said over 100 megawatts will be needed to address the energy problem, saying the energy infrastructure currently provides 80 megawatts which he confirmed cannot provide electricity for the entire municipality. “But we will change the energy infrastructure," he added, to improve supply.
He spoke of likely reforms at EDSA with a current workforce of over 1,000 which he believes adds more financial burden on the authority.
In his statement, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Eldred Tunde Taylor maintained the issue of intermittent power supply is not just limited to non- payment of bills to the Karpowership, but mentioned theft of electricity cables and vandalisation as other factors.
Taylor noted that EDSA has been making payments to Karpowership but that such payments are not commensurate to the energy consumed which he claimed to be the reason for accumulating debts.
He re-echoed the loss of revenue by EDSA which he described as high, and appealed for a stop on illegal abstraction of electricity and for the public to report any case suspected to be electricity theft.
He said the Electricity Act of 2011 should be reviewed, to include punitive measures for illegal abstraction.
"We all want electricity service, but the service is expensive," the Deputy Minister added.
The "big customers" of EDSA, such as mining companies the deputy minister said account for 40% of its revenue, saying they are expediting mechanisms in which they will generate more revenue from those businesses.
In 2020 he noted they were unable to have an alternative to Karpowership, which he said was the reason they extended the Turkisk company’s contract for five years.
As a government, he acknowledged that Karpowership is not sustainable but that they are embarking on the Western Area Generation Project that is expected to generate over 100 megawatts.
He disclosed that they will soon be engaging Karpowership officials in Turkey on how best they could renegotiate the agreement.
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