The Ethiopian Council of Ministers is considering a new energy bill that will elevate the Ethiopian Electric Agency to an authority with additional regulatory authority and revenue generating capacity. The new bill will replace the one that has been in place for the last 15 years.
The new authority will be in charge of regulating energy conservation and efficiency, to set off grid tariffs, and to license private investors in electrical work according to the initial draft sent to the Ministry of Energy.
A board of five members has been suggested for the prospective authority should the bill be ratified.
At present the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation sets tariffs for grid power supply, while of grid supply such as diesel from generators is sold at rates fixed by suppliers.Grid power tariffs would remain under the jurisdiction of the EEPCo even under the new authority which will be allowed to undertake mandatory energy audits of companies.
It is to be remembered that the agency conducted power consumption audits of 3 thousand factories as a pilot. The corporation concluded that a voluntary agreement with factories will held to reduce power wastage.
Industries that consume high levels of energy could be required to establish their own energy management unit and submit periodic reports it was suggested.
Source: Fortune
