By Seedy Jobe
The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has announced that two of its major generators are back in operation, offering some relief to the national grid, although electricity supply remains strained during peak nighttime hours.
Speaking to Start TV on Monday, NAWEC Public Relations Officer, Buba Badjie, confirmed the restoration of the machines while acknowledging that demand continues to exceed supply, particularly at night.
“Right now, our two machines are back and functioning. You know, we don’t have problems during the daytime. Most of the time, night is the peak demand period. But as I said, all this will not take long again,” Badjie said, expressing optimism that the situation will improve in the near future. He, however, did not provide a specific timeline for full normalization of supply.
Despite ongoing outages, particularly across the Greater Banjul Area and the West Coast Region, NAWEC says it is making significant progress on long-term energy expansion projects.
Badjie revealed that contractors are actively extending electricity access to previously unserved communities. He also disclosed that the company is preparing to sign a contract for a 50-megawatt solar power plant in Jarra Soma within days.
“The 50 megawatts is almost done; the study has been completed. To sign the contract- that’s what we are coming to do for the contractor to begin work,” he explained.
According to NAWEC, the solar project forms part of a broader 150-megawatt renewable energy initiative, with the initial phase expected to significantly boost national generation capacity.
In addition to electricity projects, the company is also implementing a major water supply initiative targeting Bundung, Abuko, Jamburr, and Latrikunda. Badjie expressed confidence that by the end of 2026, water supply challenges in these areas will be substantially resolved.
Meanwhile, NAWEC has issued an apology to customers affected by recent power outages, particularly residents in the Kombo area, where blackouts disrupted preparations ahead of the Eid festivities.
“We are apologizing to all Gambians, especially the people of Kombo who were affected by the electricity outages. Some people’s meat got spoiled, others Eid outfits were not ready. We are saying sorry to them,” Badjie said.
He further assured the public that NAWEC is working closely with government authorities, including the presidency, to address the situation and improve service delivery.
“Everything we are doing, we are in communication with the government. Any support we need, the government is giving it to us. From the ministry, from the president, everybody is calling every day to know what is happening, and we are trying to ensure that we fulfill electricity and water needs.”
NAWEC continues to face mounting pressure to stabilize power supply as demand grows, with the success of ongoing infrastructure projects seen as critical to resolving the country’s persistent energy challenges.
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