The Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission (LERC) on October 24–25 held public hearings in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount counties on the Liberia Electricity Corporation’s (LEC) proposed tariff application, drawing more than 200 local officials, civil society groups, businesses and customers as part of a nationwide consultation.
LEC representatives Thomas Gonkawon and George H. Tawalah presented the utility’s case, outlining ambitious service expansion targets that underpin the tariff request. The utility projects a 74% rise in customer connections during the tariff period — from 355,803 customers in 2025 to 619,623 by 2028 — and forecasts electricity consumption to jump 154.7%, from 374 million kWh in 2025 to 953 million kWh in 2028, with a 61.4% increase expected in 2026. LEC attributes the growth to planned grid extension and increased generation capacity.
Proposed tariff adjustments before LERC include:
– Social tariff: decrease of 13.3%
– Residential prepaid: no change
– Residential postpaid: no change
– Non residential prepaid: increase of 9.1%
– Non residential postpaid: increase of 9.1%
– Medium voltage: increase of 5.3%
The mixed proposal would reduce rates for the most vulnerable customers while raising charges for commercial and medium voltage users — a move that could bolster LEC revenue and help fund network expansion but would raise operating costs for businesses and large consumers.
Hearings were presided over by LERC Commissioners Amara M. Kamara and Atty. Kla Edward Toomey II and included open Q&A sessions allowing direct engagement between communities and the LEC management team. LERC said it will continue similar hearings in Grand Bassa, Margibi, Rivercess and Montserrado counties as part of its statutory consultation process.
LERC staff will review stakeholder submissions, analyse inputs and make recommendations to the Commission. The Commission is scheduled to issue a decision on December 8, 2025. If approved, new tariffs would take effect on January 1, 2026.
