The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC), the state-owned power generation and Distribution Company, has recovered approximately 5 megawatts (MW) of illegally consumed electricity through its ongoing nationwide anti-power theft campaign dubbed “Operation Sweep.”
The day-and-night operation has enabled LEC teams to visit industrial facilities and residential communities across the country.
The exercise has resulted in the removal of illegally connected meters, unauthorized electrical cables, and other fraudulent power connections.
Authorities confirmed that several individuals have been arrested during the crackdown.
Some offenders have been prosecuted and sentenced to jail terms, while others are paying thousands of dollars in recovery and penalty fees.
Located in West Africa, Liberia has a population of more than 5.8 million people. The country’s total installed power generation capacity is approximately 126 megawatts, meaning the recovery of 5MW represents a significant portion of available supply.
Electricity access in Liberia remains limited, with the national access rate currently estimated at about 33 percent.
The government and its partners are working to expand generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure to improve nationwide access and reliability.
Liberia’s power sector was severely damaged during the country’s civil wars (1989–2003), leaving much of the infrastructure destroyed.
In the post-war period, LEC has been rebuilding the system, including the rehabilitation of the Mount Coffee Hydropower Plant and expansion of thermal generation capacity.
Power theft remains a major challenge for the utility, contributing to financial losses, system overload, and unreliable supply. Officials at LEC have vowed to intensify enforcement efforts to ensure that individuals and businesses using electricity illegally are held accountable.
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