Studies
Power transmission. Power distribution N/A
Monrovia Improved Electricity Access Project
| Country : | Liberia . |
| Client : | Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) |
| Start Date : | July 2012 |
| Completion Date : | ongoing December 2014 |
| Value of services : | 106 076 $ |
| Funder : | European Union |
| Associate/Partner : | CSET |
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| Description : |
Fifteen years of successive armed conflicts devastated much of Liberia’s physical and human capital and severely damaged its institutions, including the electricity sector. The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), the single public power company with a mandate for generation, transmission and distribution, ceased operation during the civil war. Today, access to utility power is close to zero and the widespread majority of Liberians is forced to rely on costly and polluting alternatives such as kerosene, dry cell batteries, diesel generators and candles to meet their lighting and electricity needs. The objective of the proposed GPOBA project is to help ensure broad-based and inclusive access to electricity and significantly improved living conditions among the poor. The project is part of the Liberia Electricity System Enhancement Project (LESEP), approved by the World Bank, which has been specifically designed to support the expansion of the distribution network in Monrovia and the enhancement of associated power generation facilities. The objective of the project is to increase grid electricity access from 0,6% to 9% by providing an output-based subsidy to the national utility, the Liberian Electricty Corporation (LEC), after its delivery of: • functioning grid connection ; and • the demonstration of continued service for a period of time. Approximately 16,800 grid connections will be installed |
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| Description of the Actual Services Provided | As part of a consortium with Hydroconseil, IED play the role of Independent Verification Agent (IVA) and is entrusted with monitoring and verification of project results and also conducts audits of the project. A key performance indicator is the increase in access to safe electricity services in the identified priority low-income areas. Therefore, monitoring principally focus on the number of new connections installed in the targeted neighborhoods, which are verified by IVA on a quarterly basis. Only connections of households living in dwellings identified as low-income count for GPOBA reimbursement. When tracking outputs, the IVA rely on baseline and monitoring data and information submitted by LEC. To verify connections, the IVA developed a methodology to select a statistically representative sample from the monitoring data provided by LEC. Additionally, the IVA certifies that monitoring data submitted by LEC is correct. Independent Verification Agent (IVA) main tasks are: • Define technical acceptance criteria; • Verify the quantity and technical quality of connections and service provision based on a representative sample of connections realized during the payment period; • Recommend reimbursement of subsidy to the service provider by GPOBA; • Verify and collect project monitoring data. |