Sierra Leone’s Minister of Energy, Cyril Arnold Grant, has publicly acknowledged the electricity problems that residents of Freetown are experiencing and pledged to take action to restore a more reliable supply. Speaking on the SLBC Morning Coffee programme, Minister Grant blamed the recent drop in generation capacity primarily on lower water levels at the Bumbuna hydroelectric dam, which has reduced output and left parts of the city with intermittent power.
The minister said he personally understands the difficulties faced by households and businesses, and he issued a direct apology to people in Eastern Freetown, who he said have been particularly affected by the disruption. He called the current situation unacceptable and stated that his ministry is working hard to reverse the trend and improve service delivery throughout the capital.
Minister Grant announced that maintenance work is underway at Bumbuna and on the 33 kV transmission line feeding Freetown, aiming to stabilise the supply by mid-June. Beyond immediate maintenance, he outlined a number of projects aimed at improving the city’s power mix in the coming weeks, months, and years. The Nant Power Project in Kissy, as well as new solar installations in Newton and Lungi, are all expected to increase capacity and resilience.
The minister also linked these efforts to broader sector reforms and the Feed Salone initiative, stating that transforming Sierra Leone’s energy sector is a strategic priority. While acknowledging short-term pain for consumers, he urged patience as upgrades and diversification measures are implemented to deliver more reliable electricity service in Freetown.
