Staff Reporter
THE Electricity Control Board (ECB) this week hosted a workshop on the development of licence conditions for small embedded generators and pilot projects.
During the workshop, Robert Kahimise, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ECB, said that in terms of the Electricity Act, 2007, the licensing of electricity activities is a legal requirement, and no person may generate, trade, transmit, supply, distribute, import or export electricity in Namibia unless duly authorised through a licence or exemption under the Act.
“As the ECB, our mandate is not only to regulate, but also to enable orderly growth while safeguarding system reliability, consumer interests, and fair market participation. An important aspect hereof is to identify barriers to facilitate entry to, and the growth of, the Namibian ESI. In this regard, over-regulation can be seen and experienced as an entry barrier. For this reason, the ECB lodged this project to investigate the categorisation of generation projects which could qualify for a simplified regulatory licensing process,” Kahimise said.
He added that the introduction of a simplified licence process is designed to provide a clear, consistent and transparent regulatory framework that supports project development while ensuring accountability and compliance throughout the lifecycle of embedded generation facilities and pilot projects.
During the workshop, revised regulations, which replace the 2016 regulatory framework, were also touched on, which apply to all licensees, including municipalities, NamPower and Regional Electricity Distributors (REDs). The new regulations prohibit licensees from disconnecting electricity supply to the public without prior notice, while disconnections on Fridays and weekends have been banned under new rules introduced by the Electricity Control Board (ECB).
Under the new regulations, power utilities are required to provide customers with at least 24 hours’ notice before disconnecting electricity supply for non-payment.
The weekend disconnections are said to have been introduced to cushion consumers from being left in the dark on weekends when they are unable to contact service providers to settle accounts.
Photo: Electricity Control Board
