Sierra Leone needs more reliable and affordable electricity, but attracting investment in new generation depends on having the right commercial systems in place. Through the FCDO-funded Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy Programme (GCIEP), ASI supported reforms to help the Energy Generation and Transmission Company (EGTC) procure grid-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) power through clearer, more bankable power purchase agreements (PPAs).
Sierra Leone has made important progress in reforming its electricity sector, yet the systems needed to buy and manage large-scale power are still developing. This is particularly important for solar PV + BESS, where projects must be carefully structured to balance affordability, investor confidence and grid stability.
Limited institutional capacity, unclear responsibilities and the absence of standard agreements have made it harder for EGTC to secure reliable, good-value power on terms that support long-term system resilience. At the same time, major investments are being made to strengthen the national grid, increasing the need for stronger commercial capability across the sector.
Without practical tools, clear processes and coordination, promising new renewable projects risk delay or poor implementation. Sierra Leone benefited from support that recognised existing pressures on the utility while helping unlock private investment and improve electricity reliability for households and businesses.
WHAT WE DID
This work focused on practical solutions that could be implemented gradually, recognising existing capacity and resource pressures. It builds on foundations established through ASI’s earlier FCDO‑funded Expertise to Support Economic Reform in Sierra Leone (ESER) programme.
We began by reviewing the legal, regulatory, and institutional arrangements for power procurement, drawing on previous reforms and sector plans to ensure continuity. This assessment helped identify the need for a dedicated function to manage power procurement more consistently. Building on this, we developed proposals for a specialist power procurement and management unit, including clear roles, responsibilities, and job descriptions, which have been accepted in principle by relevant Ministers.
We then developed a standard solar PV + BESS PPA and accompanying implementation agreement, designed to reflect Sierra Leone’s system needs and future renewable ambitions. This was supported by a practical user manual to guide both negotiation and implementation.
To support future system operations, we also produced draft operating procedures that reflect international good practice while remaining realistic for the current system. The support concluded with a two-day workshop with key utility and government stakeholders to share findings, validate outputs, and agree next steps, ensuring strong ownership and alignment.
The introduction of solar plus storage is not only a technology shift—it is a governance shift. It requires discipline in planning, honesty about affordability constraints, and shared commitment to improving reliability for Sierra Leonean households and businesses.
Dr. Abdul Jalloh, Deputy Minister of Energy 2 (DME 2)
THE RESULTS
The support has helped lay the foundations for improving how Sierra Leone plans, buys, and manages large‑scale solar PV + BESS power, recognising the real pressures facing EGTC and the wider energy sector. Working closely with government and sector leaders, the support built a shared understanding of why clearer roles, better coordination across institutions, and practical tools are increasingly important as the power system evolves.
Key progress includes a Ministerial commitment to establish a dedicated power procurement and management unit, designed to bring greater clarity, consistency, and oversight to power purchasing while supporting better control of long‑term costs. Alongside this, there was clear agreement by key stakeholders that system stability must be actively considered in future generation projects, with a greater appreciation of how BESS can enhance the value and reliability of solar power on a fragile grid.
For the first time, stakeholders aligned around a standard solar PV + BESS storage PPA, including consideration of alternatives to simple energy only contracts when valuing storage services, using more flexible tariff structures and performance incentives. The support also encouraged stronger collaboration between sector institutions and other Ministries, helping to better align technical and commercial decisions. User-friendly draft agreements and operating procedures were produced to support learning, training, and gradual implementation over time.
The issue has gained prominence within the Ministry of Energy and, with support from the complementary work of ESER, is now being actively considered in the Minister’s sectoral planning.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Reliable and affordable electricity remains one of Sierra Leone’s most important development challenges. It affects economic growth, public services, business confidence and everyday quality of life. Expanding generation capacity matters, but new power investments must also be integrated, managed and paid for sustainably.
This support addressed that wider challenge by helping align technical realities with commercial decision-making. As Sierra Leone prepares for major network upgrades and new solar generation projects, stronger procurement systems will be essential to ensure investment delivers lasting benefits.
Battery storage is now seen not simply as an add-on technology, but as a practical tool to improve reliability, strengthen grid stability and increase the usefulness of renewable energy.
Just as importantly, the support created practical building blocks for future reform: a pathway towards a dedicated procurement function, standard templates that can reduce risk and speed up project development, and draft procedures to improve system coordination.
These outputs are already feeding into planned government actions. Over time, they can help Sierra Leone attract better-quality investment, reduce dependence on costly thermal generation and deliver more dependable electricity for consumers, EGTC and the wider economy.
