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TRANSCO CLSG’s top priority in 2021 is to energize the CLSG interconnection line, begin commercial operations in February 2021, and deliver electricity to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea during the year, the General Manager has disclosed.
Mr. Mohammed M. Sherif explained that significant progress has been made in the negotiations of the revised Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and the Transmission Service Agreements (TSAs) with CLSG member countries and is confident that they will be endorsed and signed before the end of January 2021. “Given our target to begin commercial operations in February 2021, Management solicit the support of members of the Board, utilities and CLSG countries to ensure that this tight deadline is achieved.”
In his report to the Board of Directors on Monday, December 8, 2020, Mr. Sherif said TRANSCO CLSG has signed the contract for the temporary (Operations and Maintenance (O&M) operator with the CIE, an Ivorian Electricity Company (COMPAGNIE IVOIRIENNE D’ELECTRICITE), covering the transmission line section from Man to Monrovia while the tender process to recruit the permanent O&M operator is on course.
He said the contract became effective on November 10, 2020 (signed on October 7, 2020) and that the O&M personnel will be deployed by December 15, 2020 as arranged with the management following a joint assessment of the works on the fields.
“We are currently negotiating with CIE to extend their scope to cover the line section from Monrovia to Bumbuna in Sierra Leone. This will enable Management of TRANSCO CLSG to estimate load flows based upon firm commitments, complete the update of the Business Plan and Financial Model, and submit the final report to the Board for approval in March 2021.”
Mr. Sherif furthered that TRANSCO CLSG has plan to conclude negotiations with CIE to extend their assignment to include the section from Monrovia to Bumbuna by end of December 2020 and recruit the permanent O & M (Operations and Maintenance) operator by June 2021.
He said with the support of the Board, Management will also continue to engage the governments of the CLSG countries and donors to mobilize the additional funds required to fill the gap for 2021-2023.