By Davida Spaine-Solomon
MAKENI, 30th June 2026 — President Julius Maada Bio has announced plans to increase electricity generation from the Bumbuna Hydroelectric Power Station by an additional 50 megawatts, describing the move as part of government’s efforts to improve the country’s electricity supply.
The announcement came as the President responded to a question on the persistent issue of unstable electricity during the Presidential Town Hall Meeting in Makeni.
President Bio said the stability of electricity supply depends not only on government but also on the actions of citizens, stressing that everyone has a role to play in addressing the country’s energy challenges, particularly consumers.
He condemned the theft and vandalism of electricity infrastructure, including transformers and utility poles, describing such acts as major setbacks to national development.
“Only in Sierra Leone do you see people stealing transformers and electricity poles,” the President remarked, urging citizens to desist from destroying public infrastructure and instead protect assets that serve their communities.
He also encouraged communities to embrace a culture of collective responsibility, calling on citizens to safeguard transformers and other electricity facilities from theft and vandalism.
President Bio acknowledged the challenges facing the energy sector, stating that although he is not the Minister of Energy, what he has observed in the sector has at times been discouraging.
Highlighting government’s ongoing investments, the President disclosed that Sierra Leone currently generates about 150 megawatts of electricity against an estimated national demand of 400 megawatts, leaving a significant supply deficit.
To help close that gap, he announced that government is working to expand generation at the Bumbuna Hydroelectric Power Station by an additional 50 megawatts, a move expected to strengthen the national grid and improve electricity availability across the country.
President Bio concluded by appealing to communities nationwide to protect electricity infrastructure, emphasizing that achieving a stable and reliable power supply requires both sustained government investment and the active cooperation of citizens in safeguarding public property.
