The project will be financed by the Liberian and the Norwegian governments, the European Investment Bank, and the German KfW Bank. The modernized units will generate a much higher output than the previous machines. The power output per unit will be raised by about one third. The order has a volume of EUR 43 million.

The run-of-river hydropower plant Mount Coffee has been built in the 1960s as the second and largest hydroelectric plant in Liberia. During the civil war, the plant and the dam, which is situated close to the capital Monrovia, was damaged; looting following the end of war destroyed the electrical and mechanical components. Only parts of the dam and the steel penstock remained intact. Monrovia has remained dependent on costly and limited diesel generation since 2006. The modernization of the power plant is therefore contributing to economic progress in Liberia.

“After the setbacks Liberia had to endure we are pleased to be able to make a substantial contribution to the economic development of the country,“ says Dr. Roland Münch, CEO and President of Voith Hydro. Upon completion of the order, Monrovia's more than one million inhabitants will be supplied with reliable and clean electricity from renewable energies.

Voith can look back on a long-standing presence and many years of experience on the African continent. Africa has considerable hydropower reserves, which are estimated to total approximately 400 gigawatts. At present, only about 25 gigawatts are effectively utilized.

Just recently, Voith received an order for equipping the Angolan hydropower plant Cambambe II. The company has also just started with the modernization of Inga I hydropower plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

About the Company
Voith sets standards in the markets energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transportation & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith employs more than 42,000 people, generates € 5.7 billion in sales, operates in about 50 countries around the world and is today one of the biggest family-owned companies in Europe.

The Importance of Hydropower
Hydropower is the largest, oldest and also most reliable form of renewable energy generation. Worldwide it makes an indispensable contribution to stable power supplies and hence to economic and social development – both in industrial countries and in emerging markets. At the same time, hydropower significantly contributes to climate-protecting energy genera-tion. Voith has been a leading supplier of this technology since the early beginning, and continuously develops it further.