The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) has taken a significant step toward strengthening its power distribution network with the commencement of small-scale transformer repairs at a newly established transformer repair workshop located at its Bushrod Island headquarters. The initiative is expected to boost in-house maintenance capacity, reduce equipment downtime, and improve overall system reliability.
The milestone comes alongside the successful conclusion of a two-day Year-End Retreat organized by LEC’s Substation Maintenance and Transformer Workshop Section in Ganta. Held under the theme, “From Assessment to Action: Strengthening Systems, People, and Performance,” the retreat provided a platform for engineers, technicians, and senior managers to evaluate the Section’s 2025 performance, confront persistent operational challenges, and agree on practical strategies to enhance safety, maintenance efficiency, and system stability in 2026 and beyond.
Addressing participants at the retreat, LEC Deputy Managing Director for Operations, Hon. Thomas Z. Gonkerwon, underscored the importance of inclusiveness, teamwork, and accountability in achieving the Corporation’s institutional objectives. He reaffirmed management’s commitment to continuous capacity building and urged staff to move beyond routine assessments by translating identified gaps into measurable improvements in safety, reliability, and service delivery across the electricity network.
For his part, the Manager of the Substation Maintenance and Transformer Workshop Section, Engr. Samuel Murphy Weedor Sr., emphasized the need to further reinforce internal systems and procedures, particularly in preventive maintenance, safety compliance, and technical documentation. He also highlighted teamwork, mentorship, and continuous skills development as critical elements for sustaining improved performance within the Section.
The Substation Maintenance and Transformer Workshop Section remains central to LEC’s operations, with responsibilities that include the operation and maintenance of 13 substations nationwide, underground cable repairs, testing and refurbishment of distribution transformers, and upkeep of transmission infrastructure. The Section also provides technical support to cross-departmental initiatives such as SCADA and system automation, renewable energy integration projects including the SACTEC Solar Project, and donor-supported programs such as RESPITE, LESSAP, and the Liberia Solar IPP. In addition, it supports generation interfaces, including the SGTPL 40-megawatt Thermal Power Plant.
As LEC, under the leadership of Managing Director Hon. Mohammed Sherriff, positions itself for 2026, the outcomes of the Ganta retreat and the establishment of in-house transformer repair capacity are expected to strengthen operational excellence, enhance staff performance, and contribute meaningfully to a more reliable and sustainable electricity supply across Liberia.
