By Christian Appleton
Harper, Maryland County — LIBENERGY, the company managing the electricity grid in Maryland and River Gee counties, has launched a comprehensive infrastructure upgrade aimed at strengthening power reliability and expanding service coverage across southeastern Liberia. The significant initiative includes the procurement of new transmission poles, energy meters, and operational vehicles, marking a major step in modernizing the facilities, enhancing safety, and addressing longstanding challenges to a stable electricity supply.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, October 27, Mr. Henry Hodge, LIBENERGY’s Manager, disclosed that the company has acquired 3,000 additional energy meters. This move aims to enhance billing accuracy and facilitate more effective monitoring of consumer usage.
The new meters will significantly increase coverage, bringing the total number of metered customers to just over half of all electricity consumers in Maryland County.
“This investment is critical to ensuring transparency and accountability in our operations,” Mr. Hodge said. “With these additional meters, we can accurately track energy consumption, minimize losses, and make sure customers are only billed for what they actually use.”
The initiative responds to calls from residents for improved service delivery and more accurate billing systems. The installation of modern meters is expected to reduce billing disputes, improve revenue collection, and foster customer confidence.
Beyond the metering drive, LIBENERGY is tackling one of its most pressing infrastructure concerns: the replacement of makeshift wooden transmission poles that currently support the power network.
Mr. Hodge stated that the company has begun procuring metal utility poles to replace the temporary wooden ones, many of which have become unstable and hazardous.
“The use of makeshift poles is a common problem faced by the company,” he explained. “These wooden structures often break and fall, leading to frequent power outages and posing safety risks to both our workers and residents. By introducing metal poles, we are ensuring a more durable and safer distribution network.”
Residents in Harper, Pleebo, and nearby communities have frequently complained about leaning or broken poles, particularly during the rainy season. The completed upgrade is expected to drastically reduce service interruptions and create a more resilient grid capable of withstanding harsh weather conditions.
In a related development, Mr. Hodge announced that LIBENERGY has acquired a brand-new Toyota Hilux 4×4 double-cabin pickup to strengthen field operations.
“This vehicle will help our technicians respond more quickly to faults, emergencies, and maintenance work across the network,” he said. “Previously, the lack of reliable transportation slowed down our ability to restore power and carry out inspections. This will no longer be the case.”
He emphasized that the new vehicle demonstrates the company’s growing commitment to efficiency, reliability, and customer service.
While acknowledging the new investments, Mr. Hodge also addressed the persistent issue of frequent power blackouts that continue to frustrate residents and businesses.
He attributed the outages to poor design and structural flaws in the original power network, which was installed by the former contractor, COMPTREND, and completed in 2017.
“This is something we inherited, and it has now become a thorn in the flesh,” Hodge said. “The system we took over has serious technical defects — from bad insulators and faulty connectors to poorly installed transmission components. These problems are the root cause of many of the outages customers experience today.”
Mr. Hodge stressed that LIBENERGY is actively collaborating with the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) and other partners to identify and correct the systemic flaws. Ongoing technical assessments are being conducted jointly with LEC engineers to determine the most efficient method for overhauling the defective components.
He also assured residents that the company is working to expand the network to include major communities that were left out of the original design when Maryland and River Gee counties were first connected to the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP).
Residents have welcomed the new initiatives, describing them as a long-overdue effort to improve energy reliability and safety.
“This is good news for Maryland County,” said Martha Gaye, a resident of Harper. “We have suffered too long with poor electricity and broken poles. If these changes are truly implemented, it will make a big difference.”
Observers suggest that LIBENERGY’s recent actions could mark a turning point in the region’s power sector if followed by consistent maintenance and transparent management.
Mr. Hodge concluded by reaffirming LIBENERGY’s commitment to delivering safe, stable, and sustainable power to all: “We are not where we want to be yet, but we are taking deliberate steps to get there. Our goal is to provide reliable electricity that supports growth, development, and better living conditions for our people.”
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