Rehabilitated Hydro-Plant Helps Bridge the Energy Gap in Yandohun

For the first time in more than a generation, homes and businesses in Yandohun, Liberia now have electricity.

The town of about 2,000 has been off the grid since the Yandohun Micro-Hydro Power Plant was destroyed during the country's civil war. Since its rehabilitation last year by the World Bank-supported Rural and Renewable Energy Agency (RREA) and subsequent commissioning in February 2014, 169 homes have been connected and plans are in place to connect additional homes.

"This is our flagship project - a real milestone," said Augustus Goanue, executive director of the RREA. "It demonstrates our emphasis on extending the benefits of electrification beyond the capital and therefore distributing the benefits of development more evenly."

The revival of the Yandohun plant represents an important first step in bringing electricity to Liberians who currently don't have access. Even before the outbreak of civil war in 1989, Liberia struggled to meet rising energy demand. By the time the conflict ended in 2003, warring factions had gutted the country's power plants and transmission lines, leaving less than 2% of the population - mostly residents of the capital, Monrovia - with access to publicly-provided electricity, requiring the rebuilding of energy infrastructure from scratch.

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Taxonomy

• Hydropower
• Energy Reduction
• Quality Maintenance