Heidenheim, Germany. Last Thursday, Liberian Energy Minister Patrick Sendolo visited the technology group Voith to find out about the company's hydropower offering.

In the process, the Minister also learned more about the status of the Mount Coffee modernisation, which is currently Liberia's only hydropower project. “I am delighted to have the opportunity to get my own impression of current activities on the Mount Coffee hydropower project. Following the modernisation, the power plant will supply more than a million people in Liberia with clean electricity from renewable resources,” said Energy Minister Sendolo during the visit.

The high-ranking visitor was received by Christer Parkegren, CEO of Voith Hydro Heidenheim. “Over recent years, Liberia has suffered considerable setbacks due to civil war and the Ebola crisis. So we are all the more delighted to be able to make a major contribution to the country's economic development,” said Christer Parkegren. “Following the Ebola epidemic, we are now getting ready to resume on-site work on the Mount Coffee project and are in close consultation with the Liberian Government in this regard,” adds Parkegren. Start-up of the modernized Mount Coffee hydropower plant is scheduled for the end of 2016.

For the project in Liberia, Voith Hydro is modernising the Francis turbines and supplying new generators, the control technology and the electrical and mechanical power plant equipment, which will increase capacity by a third. In addition, Voith is currently implementing various projects in Africa, including the supply of equipment for the Cambambe II hydropower plant in Angola and modernising the Inga I hydropower plant in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

All in all, Voith can look back on many years of involvement on the African continent. Although there is considerable hydropower potential in Africa, estimated at around 300 Gigawatts, only around 26 Gigawatts of this potential is actually being utilized at present.

On the importance of hydropower
Hydropower is the largest, oldest and most reliable form of renewable energy generation. Worldwide it makes an indispensable contribution to a stable power supply and thus to economic and social development – in industrialized countries and also in regions seeing strong growth. In addition, hydropower contributes significantly to climate-friendly energy production. Since the early days of hydropower exploitation Voith has been a leading supplier of this technology and is constantly developing it further.

About the company
Voith sets standards in the energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive markets. Founded in 1867, Voith today has more than 39,000 employees and earns 5.3 billion euros in sales. It has locations in over 50 countries in all regions of the world and is one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.