Improvement of frequent power outages and excessive power loss by technical transfer from Japan

Strengthening the facility maintenance capacity of Sierra Leone's engineers

The economy of the Republic of Sierra Leone has gradually recovered with its GDP growing 15% per year (World Bank, 2012) after ending the 11-year civil war in 2002. Electric power demand in Freetown has grown since then, but most of the power generating facilities have deteriorated and not been able to operate for a long time because they were not maintained or managed due to the shortage of spare parts during the civil war. Personnel for power facility operations, maintenance and management were also in shortage, and power supply facilities weren't efficiently utilized. The National Power Authority (NPA) maintained and managed almost all of the power generating facilities in Freetown. However, they had no experience in planned maintenance and management of power supply facilities. In addition, funds for maintenance and management were insufficient due to the continuous deficit, and neither the quantity nor quality of the engineers was at a sufficient level. Therefore, it was necessary to strengthen the NPA's ability to plan, develop and execute the maintenance and management of facilities, in addition to build and renovate power generating facilities and supply/transfer power facilities. To improve the situation, we supported NPA develop and improve the capacity of their staff to properly operate, maintain and manage the power generating facilities.

Training lecture for NPA personnel

Developing a stable and reliable power supply system for Sierra Leone

We dispatched experts from each engineering field and provided both lectures and on-the-job training (OJT) to the NPA personnel to improve their ability to operate, maintain, and manage the power generation, supply and transfer facilities. As for the power generating area, NPA put together periodic checking plans under the engineering professionals’ supervision. Based on those plans, they executed dismantling inspections of diesel generators every 4,000 and 8,000 hours. As for the power supply and transfer area, we confirmed NPA’s plans to inspect and renovate the power supply and transfer facilities, created a transformer renovation plan for 250 secondary substations, and completed the power system map of the western area under professional supervision. Also, to improve their operation, maintenance and management abilities, NPA created operation, maintenance and management plans, and periodic meetings were held by the NPA management and their technical management teams. Lectures and OJT improved the technical and management skills of NPA personnel, particularly as follows:

1) Built a foundation for the daily operation of power generation, supply and transfer in Freetown

2) Improved technical and management skills for power generation in Freetown

3) Improved technical and management skills for power supply and substations in Freetown

4) Improved technical skills for plan creation and execution of power generation, supply and substation maintenance and operation.

OJT of NPA personnel
Training lecture for NPA personnel