Hecate Global Renewables Energy and Africa 50 Poised to Construct 50 MW in Kono District.
BUMPE, Kono District | 8 April 2025:- Sierra Leone’s new energy story which places greater reliance on renewable energy sources, particularly hydropower and solar photovoltaic technologies continued in Bumpe, Nimikoro Cheifdom, Kono District, Eastern Sierra Leone with the visit of representatives of the Chicago-based Hecate Global Renewables and the Moroccan-based Africa 50 Fund.
Led by Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security ( PI-CREF) and Energy Governance Coordination Group (EGCG), senior officials from the Ministry of Energy ( MoE), the Electricity Distribution and Supply Agency ( EDSA) and PI-CREF, the visit to the site provided an opportunity for the government to show strong support for HGR and Africa 50’s effort to develop a 50 MW solar project. The future solar photovoltaic (PV) project with Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and associated electrical infrastructure will inject power to the Binkongor Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea (CLSG) substation which is less than 500m north of the proposed site.
Meeting with local stakeholders
Flanked by section chiefs, speakers, other local authorities and residents of the 166 villages and towns that make up the entire chiefdom, PC Dr. Aiah Denton Bona Formansan III warmly welcomed the visiting delegation. He noted that HGR was no stranger to his chiefdom and is aware of the activities they have engaged in and looks forward to concrete action that is sure to bring benefits to the community. He also welcomed the leader of the delegation Hon. Yumkella whom he described as a descendant of the Chiefdom and the son of a chief.
“We are here to ensure we do what the President has instructed us to do, and understand the next steps in fast tracking the implementation of this project,” said Yumkella as he recounted the various meetings President Bio has had with Africa 50 CEO, Alain Ebobisse, beginning in Paris at the Clean Cooking Summit in Paris, followed by their meeting on the margins of the OPEC-Fund Investment Summit and as recent as March in Tanzania during the Mission 300 meetings in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. All of these meetings have led to the visit today with concrete next steps towards financial closure and ground breaking of the project. “Our role is to break barriers and get things moving faster, he affirmed. Dr. Yumkella called on the people of Bumpe to own and protect the electricity infrastructure in Kono and all others coming in the future.
Speaking on behalf of their organizations both Bulelwa Ntshingwa, Business Development Africa for HGR and Rami Belaid, Senior Investment Associate at Africa 50 emphasized their institutions strong commitment to seeing the project to full completion to support Sierra Leone’s efforts to increase generation to increase access to electricity to spur economic growth and development.
HGR’s partnership with Africa 50
A clean energy company and renewable energy Independent Power Producer (IPP) with expertise in the development and financing of conventional and renewable power generation technologies, HGR has partnered with Africa 50 known in the continent for closing critical infrastructure gaps through innovative financing mechanisms.
Established by African governments and the African Development Fund (AfDB) to bridge the continent’s infrastructure funding gap, Aftica 50 facilities project development, mobilizes public and private sector finance to invest in Africa’s infrastructure.
“Strategic relationships with Africa 50 is important for us and for Sierra Leone, said Bulelwa Ntshingwa. With its development mandate and ownership by African governments, it brings credibility to the whole process.