His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has commissioned a 30-megawatt solar power plant with a 15-mwgawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Mewton and a 10-megawatt solar power plant with a 6-megawatt-hour BESS in Lungi, Kaffu Bullom Chuefdom in Port Loko District.
The facilities were developed under the Regional Energy Solar Power Intervention (RESPITE) Project supported by the World Bank.
Commissioning the facilities on Wednesday, 10th June 2026, President Bio described the initiative as “the largest single addition to renewable energy generation capacity in Sierra Leone’s history” and affirmed that the Newton and Lungi Solar Power Projects represent another decisive step in the country’s journey towards energy security, economic transformation, and sustainable development.
Describing the occasion as a defining moment in the nation’s development journey, President Bio said the commissioning reflects not only where Sierra Leone stands today but also where she is determined to go.
The President expressed profound appreciation to the World Bank Group for its unwavering support, technical expertise, and partnership in bringing the RESPITE Projevr to fruition. “This ceremony is a statement of Sierra Leone’s ambition. It is a declaration that we are investing in our future. It is proof that when vision is matched by determination, partnership, and action, transformation becomes possible,” President Bio averred.
He reiterated that the combined 40-mwgawatt solar power projects will strengthen the national grid, improve reliability, increase resilience, and expand access to electricity for hundreds of thousands of Sierra Leoneans.
President Bio also extended invitations to investors, development partners, international financial institutions, climate finance institutions, technology providers, and innivators around the world to partner with Sierra Leone in accelerating her energy transformation agenda. “Sierra Leone is open for investment. Sierra Leone is open to partnership,” President Bio declared.
The ceremony also featured statements from the World Bank Country Representative, the Minister of Energy, the Paramount Chief of Kaffu Bullom Chiefdom, and other stakeholders, all of whom highlighted the significance of the projects in advancing the country’s energy sector and supporting national development.
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