General Manager outlines goals for 2020

“Our main priority for the next year is to complete all EPC contracts, commission and energize the transmission line and launch the operations and maintenance phase,” says the General Manager of TRANSCO CLSG, Mohammed M. Sherif, in a statement delivered at the 21st meeting of the Board of Directors of TRANSCO CLSG.

In particular, the General Manager disclosed that TRANSCO CLSG management will conclude the recruitment of the temporary O & M Contractor (Plan B) by February 2020 for a period of one year. Thereafter, a new operator will be recruited to takeover operations and maintenance for a period of four years.

During the first quarter of 2020, TRANSCO CLSG will organize meetings with the four utilities to conclude, re-negotiate, and sign the PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) and TSAs (Transmission Service Agreements) that were adopted and signed in 2016. These meetings will also finalize the interconnection agreement.

He said the final draft report of the Updated Business Plan will be available in January 2020 for the consideration by Management and Donor partners. The Finance and Administration Committee of the Board has established a Task Force that will assist Management to review the report and finalize the business plan for approval by the Board in March 2020.

With the support of the Board, Management will continue to work closely with government officials and national utilities to outline the revenue generation strategy for TRANSCO CLSG that is aligned with grid expansion to capture industrial and mining loads in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

Meanwhile, the General Manager has recognized the significant contributions of the Board in an effort to bring light to the people of the CLSG countries. “You have clearly demonstrated your invaluable support to making sure our path is smoothed and continue to be smoothed. We are also grateful to donors, the governments and the member utilities of the CLSG countries for their partnership and support in pushing the CLSG project forward.”

Mr. Sherif said TRANSCO CLSG remains highly confident that with “your continued support, we will complete the construction of the CLSG interconnection line and begin commercial operations in 2020.”

“Finally, I would like to extend my profound thanks and appreciation to my dynamic team for their hard work, resilience, commitment and passion that have made it possible to achieve the key deliverables during the years on the project implementation and institutional functions. Through their efforts, we have achieved key milestones towards project implementation.”