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Claim: “LEC has increased the bill of the Liberian people by 76%,” the former Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claimed.
Verdict: Misleading! The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) said it has developed a proposal for electricity tariffs, but the LERC has yet to approve it.
Full Text
Electricity supply is a big problem in Liberia. According to a World Bank 2022 report, only 31% of the country’s population has access to electricity.
The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) is a public facility responsible for producing and supplying economical and reliable electric power throughout the country.
LEC’s services are in four of the fifteen counties, including Montserrado, Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, and Margibi.
This electricity supply is not for free, and payment rates vary from one consumer to the other, as it is approved by the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC). The duration for tariffs is every three years.
The LERC is the national regulator which issues licenses, approves tariffs, ensures liberalisation of the electricity sector, improves service delivery, protects consumers, and creates a vibrant industry.
The average customer, whom the electricity corporation categorises as a social tariff customer, pays 15 cents per kilowatt.
In his post on Oct. 30, 2024, Randall Dobayou, the former Deputy Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), claimed the LEC had increased the electricity charge.
In his words, “LEC has increased the bill of the Liberian people by 76% on total average.” He made the statement while sharing a press release.
A screenshot of the release Dobayou shared.
As of this report, Dobayou’s post had attracted 14 reactions, 51 commenters, and nine shares. The comment section had mixed reactions.
As a result of this, DUBAWA decided to interrogate the facts about the post.
Verification
DUBAWA contacted LEC’s Senior Manager of Communication, Philip Faley, but he said LEC has not increased electricity tariffs, as the story is being spread on social media.
According to Faley, the LEC has developed and submitted a proposal for its new tariff scheme to the LERC for three years, but the regulatory body has not approved it.
DUBAWA also found a post from the LERC announcing that the LEC had submitted a proposal for new electricity tariffs. The proposal shows that LEC is requesting a 40% increase in the electricity tariff for the average customer.
If the proposal meets the LERC’s approval, the typical customer will pay 21 cents per kilowatt instead of the 15 cents they are currently paying.
The commission said the proposal follows Section 8.1(2) of the 2015 Electricity Law of Liberia, which states that “a licensee may not charge a customer any other tariff and make use of provisions in agreements other than that determined or approved by the Regulator…”
The electricity governor also requested that the LEC submit all supporting documents to derive its proposed tariff structure. “The Commission will conduct a series of public hearings, stakeholder engagements, and outreach initiatives before finalising the tariff decision.”
Conclusion
Therefore, Randall Dobayou’s post that LEC has increased electricity bills by 76% is misleading.
