The Mount Coffee hydropower plant in Liberia is set to be expanded, with an additional 44MW hydropower capacity added as well as 20MW in solar power.

The President of the Republic, H.E. Dr. George Manneh Weah, issued an Executive Order at the end of last week, directing full governmental support to the implementation of the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant (MCHPP) Extension and Solar Project. He also ordered studies for the St Paul River 2nd Hydro Project.

The President said the hydropower and solar projects were critical to national security in the country, as well as its national economic development. The Executive Order notes that the country has abundant hydro and solar resources, but so far only the Mount Coffee Hydro Power Plant is generating utility scale renewable green generation.

In the Executive order, the President said that international partners, the World Bank and the West African Power Pool, have completed the full feasibility study for the hydro extension and solar project, and it is now progressing to the fully funded implementation of these two components under the World Bank Funded RESPITE project.

He also said the World Bank and the West African Power Pool have funded, and are nearing the completion of the full and bankable feasibility study for a second 150MW hydro project on the St. Paul River.