The Mt. Coffee Hydropower Plant site in Liberia is planned to host a 20 MW DC solar power plant with the World Bank support. (Illustrative Photo; Photo Credit: Dmitrijs Kaminskis/Shutterstock.com) 
Tenders

Liberia Seeking Eligible Consultants For 20 MW DC Solar Power Station

Owner’s Engineer With Experience Of Hybrid Energy System Installation Wanted For World Bank-Backed LEC Power Station

Anu Bhambhani

  • LEC is looking for an OE for a 20 MW DC/16 MW AC solar power plant in Liberia  

  • It may be accompanied by a BESS, to operate alongside the MCHPP in Harrisburg-Monrovia 

  • The PV project falls under the World Bank’s RESPITE program that supports grid-connected RE capacity in select African nations 

Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), the state utility of Liberia, has invited expressions of interest (EOI) from eligible consultants to provide their services for a 20 MW DC/16 MW AC solar PV power plant at the Mt. Coffee Hydropower Plant (MCHPP), funded by the World Bank’s RESPITE program.  

The Regional Emergency Solar Power Intervention Project (RESPITE) is the bank’s project to increase grid-connected renewable energy capacity in Western and Central Africa, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Chad, and Togo. Strengthening regional integration in these countries is also part of the project. It focuses on construction of solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) projects.  

For Liberia, this project entails the construction of a 20 MW DC solar power plant on Mount Coffee Island. LEC is now looking to hire an owner’s engineer (OE) to provide technical expertise for the design, review, and monitoring of the supply and construction of the PV project.  

It may also include a hybrid electric scheme, running in tandem with the 88 MW MCHPP in Harrisburg-Monrovia. Eligible consultants must come with a 2-year minimum experience in a solar or hydroelectric hybrid energy system in Sub-Saharan Africa or similar developing nations.  

This solar project is one of the 3 generation projects currently being financed by the bank. The other 2 projects include addition of 60 MW to the 88 MW project and repairs to Unit 1 at the Mt. Coffee Power Station Extension.  

Details of the tender are available on the World Bank’s website where it was published on July 22, 2024. The last date to submit EOI is August 12, 2024.   

Earlier this year in April 2024, the bank launched a new solar and energy storage project tender for Togo under the RESPITE program (see Solar & Energy Storage Procurement Tender For Togo).