LERC Issues Ultimatum To LEC, LIBENERGY -To Submit Proposed Tarrif for Customers

The Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) has issued separate directives to the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and LIBENERGY Liberia to submit proposed tariff applications for the various customer categories in their respective licensed areas not later than Friday, 4th October 2024.

A press release by the Commission notes that the directive is pursuant to Section 8.1(2) of the 2015 Electricity Law of Liberia (2015 ELL) and regulation 18(1) of Electricity Tariff Regulations of 2021, which mandate the Commission to approve and set electricity tariffs for licensed operators within the Electricity Supply Market of Liberia.

The proposed tariffs, the released said when approved by the Commission, will be implemented during the tariff period beginning January 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2027, but shall be subject to adjustments as mentioned in the Multi Year Tariff Methodology of 2021.

As part of the tariff review process, the Commission informs the public that it will hold a series of public hearings, stakeholder engagements, outreaches, conduct talk shows with electricity customers, consumers, policy makers, interest groups, civil society organizations and among others to solicit inputs and recommendations in making the final decisions.

In 2021, the Commission approved tariffs for five categories of customers within the Liberia Electricity Corporation’s (LEC) network. The tariffs took effect on 1st January 2022 and will end on 31st December 2024. The five categories of customer tariffs announced by the Commission in 2021, included Social Customers, Prepaid Residential customers, Postpaid Residential customers, Prepaid Non-residential Customers, Postpaid Commercial customers and Medium Voltage customers. Currently, LEC’s operations cover Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Bomi and Margibi counties.

In 2023, the Commission approved a provisional tariff for LIBENERGY, a large Micro Utility Distribution licensee operating in distribution service areas in Grand Gedeh, River Gee, Maryland and parts of Nimba Counties. Tariffs approved following this review process will replace the provisional tariff that the company currently charges its customers in its operation areas.

In a related development, the Commission informs the public that it has issued a notice of complete application to Jungle Energy Power (JEP) on its tariff application to the Commission for its licensed distribution service areas in Bong and Nimba counties. In its application, JEP proposes a tariff of 21.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for Large Customers and 25 cents per kWh for all other customers in its operation areas.

The Commission has published an abridged application of JEP, and a notice of pendency as required by the Electricity Tariff Regulations of 2021 to facilitate public engagements during the tariff review process. The new tariffs, when approved, will be implemented during the tariff period beginning January 1, 2025, and ending on December 31, 2027.

Meanwhile, the Commission urges the management teams of LEC, LIBENERGY and JEP to adhere to the tariff schedules and timetables issued by the Commission noting that failure to do so will lead to significant regulatory penalties under the law to include fines, the release issued under authority concluded.