Freetown: Newton Village, Western Area Rural District: President Julius Maada Bio Wednesday commissioned two landmark solar facilities, adding 40MW and marking Sierra Leone's largest renewable energy expansion, stronger energy security, economic transformation, and sustainable development.

According to Sierra Leone News Agency, the projects include a 30-megawatt solar power plant in Newton with a 15-megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System and a 10-megawatt solar power plant in Lungi with a 6-megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System. Both facilities were developed under the Regional Emergency Solar Power Intervention (RESPITE) Project with support from the World Bank.

President Bio described the development as the largest single addition to renewable energy generation capacity in Sierra Leone's history. He said the Newton and Lungi projects mark another decisive step toward energy security, economic progress, and sustainable national growth. Calling the event a defining moment in Sierra Leone's development journey, the President said the commissioning reflects both the country's current progress and its determination to build a stronger future.

He thanked the World Bank Group for its steady support, technical expertise, and partnership in delivering the RESPITE Project. 'This ceremony is a statement of Sierra Leone's ambition. It shows that we are investing in our future and proving that when vision meets determination, partnership, and action, transformation becomes possible,' he said.

Drawing on his travels across the country, President Bio spoke about the hardship many Sierra Leoneans continue to face because of unreliable electricity supply. 'These realities reinforce a simple truth: electricity is not a luxury; it is a necessity,' he said.

He noted that energy poverty has long limited the potential of Sierra Leone's people and economy, leaving many communities to cope with darkness, uncertainty, and weak infrastructure. 'This is not the future we accept. Today, Sierra Leone sends a clear message: we are moving forward. We are building an energy future that is cleaner, more reliable, more resilient, and more inclusive,' he declared.

President Bio said the combined 40-megawatt projects will strengthen the national grid, improve reliability, boost resilience, and expand electricity access for hundreds of thousands of Sierra Leoneans. He added that the projects are central to the government's wider effort to build a modern energy sector capable of supporting national aspirations and long-term development.

The President stressed that the investments go beyond power generation, describing them as drivers of broader national progress. He said they will create jobs, improve healthcare and education services, and support industrial growth. 'The true value of these investments lies not only in the electricity they generate but also in the opportunities they create. These are nation-building projects,' he said.

President Bio dedicated the achievement to students who have studied in darkness, healthcare workers who have served without reliable electricity, entrepreneurs who have endured repeated outages, and families who have waited patiently for better power supply. 'We are building a future in which reliable electricity is not a privilege for a few, but a service available to all,' he affirmed.

He also called on investors, development partners, international financial institutions, climate finance institutions, technology providers, and innovators to work with Sierra Leone in accelerating its energy transformation agenda. 'Sierra Leone is open for investment. Sierra Leone is open for partnership,' he said.

The ceremony also featured remarks from the World Bank Country Representative, the Minister of Energy, the Paramount Chief, and other stakeholders, all of whom underscored the importance of the projects in advancing Sierra Leone's energy sector and supporting national development.