- During his recent visit, US Ambassador Mark Toner praised the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant’s progress and potential to attract foreign investment.
- Despite significant US support, LEC CEO Monie Captan called for more private sector investment to further enhance Liberia’s energy infrastructure.
During a recent visit to the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant, the US Ambassador to Liberia, Mark Toner, reaffirmed America’s commitment to Liberia’s energy sector. Following a two-hour tour of the facility, Ambassador Toner expressed his approval of the plant’s progress and potential to attract significant foreign direct investment to Liberia.
Since assuming his role in August 2024, Ambassador Toner, a veteran US Foreign Service officer and former State Department spokesperson, has engaged with critical Liberian officials, including President Joseph Boakai and Speaker Fonati Koffa. USAID Director Jim Wright and Sara Horner, Chief of the Political and Economic Section at the US Embassy, accompanied his visit to Mount Coffee. They were hosted by Monie Captan, CEO of the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC).
During the tour, the group visited critical areas of the hydropower plant, including the intake, Substation Control Room, Spillway, and the Centralized Control Center, which houses the plant’s four turbines. Ambassador Toner praised the plant’s operations and noted its success as a magnet for potential foreign investors. “Nothing attracts investment like success. What they’ve built here is a successful operation, and that will attract other investments,” Toner remarked.
Ambassador Toner emphasised the evolving U.S.-Liberia relationship, aiming to shift from mere assistance to a strategic partnership that encourages private investment. He expressed optimism about increasing private sector involvement in supporting companies like LEC in their development. “Liberia needs to move; the US is here as a strong partner to Liberia. I hope to see a transition where private investment supports the country’s next growth stage,” he said.
Highlighting the progress made since the end of Liberia’s civil war in 2003, Toner lauded the achievements at Mount Coffee as a testament to Liberians’ resilience and capacity to manage their affairs. “I was impressed by Monie Captan’s vision and what has been built here. It shows how Liberians can effectively manage their resources,” he added.
The US government has played a significant role in Liberia’s energy sector, mainly through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). In November 2015, the MCC and the Government of Liberia signed a $257 million agreement to rehabilitate the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant, develop a training centre for electricity sector technicians, and establish an independent energy regulator.
Despite this support, LEC CEO Monie Captan called for additional assistance, especially from the private sector, to further enhance Liberia’s energy infrastructure. “The energy sector needs to be sustainable, and sustainability requires business involvement rather than just grants,” Captan said. He noted that interest from General Electric companies had previously been hampered by inadequate infrastructure but hoped the investment case would become more robust with ongoing improvements.