MONROVIA — The Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) says a string of power disruptions experienced across parts of the country in recent days—including an outage on Monday—was triggered by a failure on the Sierra Leone–Guinea interconnection line of the regional CLSG transmission network, prompting automatic safety shutdowns meant to protect Liberia’s power infrastructure.
In a press statement dated January 20, 2026, LEC said Liberia’s electricity supply has been under increasing pressure and has “reached a critical stage of load shedding,” citing inadequate power to meet demand in parts of the country.
“The interruption experienced over the last few days, including today’s disruption, resulted from abrupt trips on the Côte d’Ivoire–Liberia–Sierra Leone–Guinea (CLSG) transmission line,” the utility said.
What happened, according to LEC
LEC explained that the CLSG system is a regional interconnection linking four West African countries—Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea—designed to allow cross-border electricity exchanges and improve reliability.
However, when power “trips” occur on the CLSG network, LEC said they can send a feedback effect into local substations. “These trips can cause load fluctuations,” the statement said.
To prevent “extensive damage” to critical equipment, LEC said its automated protection systems are designed to immediately shut down affected components.
LEC described the shutdown response as “a standard and necessary safety mechanism” intended to safeguard infrastructure and ensure long-term system reliability.
Restoration efforts
LEC said its technical teams intervened following the incident and restoration efforts began immediately.
“Power is being successfully restored to affected areas. Normal operations have since resumed,” the utility said.
LEC also apologized for the disruption and pledged continued efforts to stabilize supply. “LEC sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience the temporary disruption may have caused and assures the public of its continued commitment to the reliable provision of electricity across the country,” the statement said.
Background: Why the CLSG line matters to Liberia
The CLSG interconnection is a major part of Liberia’s modern electricity architecture and is often discussed as a pathway for the country to import power through the regional grid while expanding domestic generation and strengthening transmission and distribution.
For years, Liberia’s electricity sector has faced recurring challenges including limited generation capacity, high operating costs, infrastructure constraints, and growing demand—especially in Monrovia and other expanding population centers. These pressures frequently result in load shedding, where power is deliberately rationed to prevent a total system collapse.
LEC said it is working with regional partners to “enhance grid stability,” signaling continued reliance on cross-border coordination as Liberia’s network becomes more interconnected.
Public advisory
LEC encouraged the public to rely on its official updates as technical teams continue monitoring the system, and emphasized that protective shutdowns—though disruptive—are intended to prevent larger and longer-lasting damage to the grid.
