Thousands of residents in N’Zérékoré, Guinea’s second largest city by population after the capital, Conakry, and the largest city in the southeastern region are gearing up for the coming of the CLSG interconnection electricity, reports from the commercial and economic center have confirmed.
Residents have been patiently awaiting the arrival of the CLSG electricity, which authorities and businesses say will boom economic activities in the region. In fact, the news of connecting the city and its environs to the CLSG power line remains the hottest topic in many quarters, as people await the historic moment the stable and affordable electricity is switched on for good.
The excitement is felt by anyone visiting the region. The recent signing of the Transmission Service Agreement (TSA) by the Guinean government through its national utility, EDG with TRANSCO CLSG in Conakry and the turning on of the CLSG power in Kenema and Bo (Sierra Leone) have puffed up the eagerness.
“Every day, we pray to get this light because we have been living here for years without any reliable power,” an excited resident said after he listened to local news reports that CLSG electricity is coming soon to the city. Another resident at a local restaurant added, “I can imagine us sleeping sound, without the usual dark world at night with candles here and there. Thank God for our government and the CLSG people…”
Among the excited residents is one notable business man, Abdoulaye Kolie Diani, who runs the popular Hôtel Diani and Restaurant in the heart of Nzerekore. “Electricity is important for everyone, but the CLSG power is coming for me,” Mr. Diani said with smile and added that without electricity, schools and hospitals and the whole community will remain in darkness. “It also affects our businesses.”
Hotel Diani is a super structure built around a landscaped courtyard with a little greenery. It has a swimming pool, a restaurant on a covered terrace and a nightclub (in a nearby courtyard) which completes the facilities available to guests. The Proprietor, Mr. Diani said the coming of the CLSG electricity is very welcoming news for his business and his city.
Mr. Diani said stable and affordable electricity is very important for businesses to flourish in his city. According to him, he runs five generators per day on a minimum of $350 to $400 USD budget just to provide services to his guests. “I don’t run the generators the whole day. It constrains me to run the machines the whole day becuase its too costly doing that,” Diani disclosed.
The coming of the CLSG interconnection line in Nzerekore will be a huge relief for him. According to Mr. Diani, he will save three times the money he is spending now on running his generators when the stable electricity is turned on. Right now, he said: “It’s really stressful so I cant wait!”
Mr. Diani has plans to expand his business empire in the city once there is stable electricity. In fact, he’s already constructing a new hotel in anticipation of the CLSG line coming to Nzerekore. “We are very excited and we also thank the government for the good news.”
We are connecting light to lives!