By Sulaiman Jalloh
Dr. Kandeh Yumkellah, Chairman presidential initiative on renewable energy has unveiled an ambitious national energy initiative dubbed Mission 300, aimed at transforming the country’s electricity landscape by quadrupling power generation and expanding access to millions of citizens within the next five years.
Speaking on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, during a government press briefing in Freetown, Dr. Yumkellah said the Mission 300 runs up to 2030 which is a five-year plan.
Currently, according to him the country’s total installed power capacity stands at about 270 megawatts (MW), with only 36 percent of the population having access to electricity. The majority of Sierra Leoneans still depend on traditional energy sources such as charcoal and firewood, as 90 percent lack access to clean cooking energy
He added that less than 2 percent of the county’s population uses gas for cooking, and only 21 percent of households are connected to the national grid managed by the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA). The national energy mix currently comprises 46 percent renewable energy mainly hydro and solar and 54 percent non-renewable sources.
Under Mission 300, the government aims to increase national generation capacity from 270 MW to over 1,000 MW within five years and to raise electricity access from 36 percent to 78 percent of the population he added while emphasizing that the bold target will require large-scale investment, regional energy cooperation, and substantial infrastructure expansion to meet growing demand.
The chairman informed newsmen that the compact has Five Pillars. One he said is to expand and improve Power Generation which will focuse on building new power plants and expanding existing facilities such as the Bumbuna Hydropower Station. The government says the plan will improve reliability and sustainability while creating thousands of new jobs in construction and maintenance.
The other plans he highlighted includes; Regional Energy Integration Decentralized, Private Sector Investment and Risk Reduction among others.
Despite the government’s optimism, key challenges persist. The country’s high investment risk profiles continued to deter investors, while weak utility performance and infrastructure limitations such as overloaded transformers and inadequate transmission lines threaten to slow progress.
If fully implemented, Mission 300 is expected to raise power generation from 271 MW to 1,000 MW, connect over one million new customers, and increase the renewable energy share to 52 percent.
Beyond electricity, the initiative promises to strengthen regional trade, reduce import dependence, and create thousands of local jobs, positioning Sierra Leone as a potential energy hub in the Mano River Union subregion.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Friday, 10th October 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
