Hydroelectric plant in Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, two villages and their 4,000 inhabitants now enjoy electricity thanks to a new hydroelectric power plant. The old plant had been destroyed completely during the country's wartime years. Zebra traveled to Yele and built new, highly efficient turbines in one of the river rapids. This now generates enough energy to supply both villages with power to prosper.

The villagers of Yele and around had been depending on generators since the outbreak of the war in Sierra Leone, because their power plant had been thoroughly destroyed. Many however couldn't afford the generator, diesel or gasoline had to be imported, and the generator was loud, environmentally unsound and often out of order.

Full throttle

Powerned ltd called on Zebra for technology and construction of the plant, because of our experience with working in developing countries. The new turbine is humming at full throttle. Power from the plant is sold at low prices to the community. The earnings pay for maintenance at the plant, but also for a water treatment facility and a small medical hospital. This way, inhabitants now have free drinking water and healthcare, as well as electricity at a much lower price than ever before.

Future

We have trained many local people in Yele to take over from us at some point. Together with the new hospital and the treatment facility, employment in the region has risen impressively: managers to run things, salesmen to sell power, technicians to maintain equipment and operators to treat malfunctions. These projects have an enormous impact on a village. Free water and medical care, cheap electricity, more jobs and less harm to the environment.