Electricity Law of Liberia, 2015

An Act to Amend Chapters 85 of the 1973 Public Authority Law Creating the Liberia Electricity Corporation and Amendment thereto, to establish the 2015 Electricity Law of Liberia

This Law amends Chapter 85 of the Public Authorities Law which creates the Liberia Electricity Corporation. The Law establishes the legal and regulatory regime for the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity within the country. The Law aims to facilitate the implementation of the National Energy Policy by expanding on a sustainable basis the availability of electricity services with the goal of attaining universal service, increase availability of electricity services needed to support economic growth, promote the development of renewable energy resources for electricity generation, maintain a financially viable and sustainable electricity industry, among other goals. Towards ensuring an efficient regulatory framework, the Law provides specific roles for the Minister, the Department of Energy, the Regulator, with respect to the electricity sector. 

The Law provides that licenses or registration are needed to operate a generation, transmission or distribution facility in excess of a threshold defined by the Regulator, the importation or exportation of electricity, the trading of electricity or in carrying out the activities of a transmission system operator. It further provides for the procedure of registration and application for license, and the conditions for issuance and renewal of licenses. The Law extensively provides for tariffs on the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, including the adjustment of tariffs, the kinds of tariffs chargeable, etc. The Law provides that the Minister may consult stakeholders to commission a study on the suitability of the river basins within the country for the development of hydroelectric facilities. 

The Liberia Electricity Corporation, the state owned entity which is created by Chapter 85 of the Public Authorities Law is acknowledged and continues to exist under this Law. The Law authorizes the creation of the Liberia Electricity Regulatory Commission within the Ministry. This Commission is to carry out the duties of the Regulator and is to be created not later than two years after the Law goes into effect.