This will pave the way for the actual engineering work to begin to meet the December 2015 target for officially restoring the hydro facility to its pre-war status.

A source at the Liberia Electricity Corporation told the Liberia News Agency Wednesday that the planned date for the groundbreaking is still on course.

The cost of the rehabilitation and upgrading of Mount Coffee plant is estimated at US$230 million.

Government has concluded a US$65 million concessional loan deal with the European Central Bank to finance the Mount Coffee project.

Already, donors have committed US$107 million, while the Governments of Norway and Germany have pledged grants of US$75 million and $32 million, respectively.

The Liberian Government has budgeted US$45 million for the project, according to an Executive Mansion release quoted by the Liberia News Agency.

The Mount Coffee Hydro supplied electricity to Monrovia and other areas of the country before it was destroyed during the civil war in 1992.

LINA PTK