The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) hosted a delegation from the Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), and the Gambia National Water and Electricity Company Ltd (NAWEC) from June 10-14, 2024. This is part of the Commission's efforts to strengthen regulatory partnerships and engage with sister regulatory institutions as it strives to be a model utility regulatory institution in Africa.
PURA is a multi-sector regulatory body with mandates to regulate telecommunication, energy, downstream petroleum and water and sewage services. Through a re-structuring process which includes unbundling in the electricity sector in The Gambia, PURA wishes to strengthen its capacity in tariff setting for electricity and water services including the integration of green mini-grids and prosumer tariffs. The PURA identified the PURC as an ideal Regulatory Institution and destination to learn about regional best practices.
National Water And Electricity Co.Ltd (NAWEC) was established in June 1996 under the Companies Act of 1955 as a Public Limited liability Company. NAWEC is engaged in the generation and provision of electricity, water and sewerage services for domestic, public and industrial purposes. NAWEC succeeded the Gambia Utilities Corporation (GUC), established by an act of parliament in 1972 and the Utilities Holding Corporation (UHC), established by Presidential Executive Order in 1992.
NAWEC is mandated for the provision of electricity, water and sewerage service in The Gambia. It is governed by a Board of Directors which is appointed by the Honourable Secretary of State for Energy. The Managing Director, appointed by the President, is responsible for directly overseeing the operations of the Company. NAWEC has six (10) divisions each headed by a Director who reports directly to the Managing Director. The Directors also supervise Managers who work under their divisions.
The overall objective of the Benchmark Study tour is that the delegation of PURA wishes to strengthen its capacity in tariff setting for electricity and water services including the integration of green mini-grids and prosumer tariffs. but specifically:
- Legal frameworks for electricity and water tariff settings
- Implementation/enforcement arrangements
- Tariff models, design and pass-through mechanisms/Automatic adjustment formula.
In his welcome address, Alhaji Jabaru Abukari, Acting on behalf of the Executive Secretary of PURC, Dr Ishmael Ackah, expressed his gratitude to the delegates on behalf of the staff, Management, and the Board of the Commission for recognising the Commissions as an ideal in the energy and the water industry to be understudied.
Alhaji Jabaru further noted that the Commission was indeed grateful to the Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), and the Gambia National Water and Electricity Company for identifying PURC as an institution of choice for their benchmarking study. The importance of sharing knowledge and best practices among countries in the sub-region was a testament to PURC's commitment to promoting excellence and innovation in utility regulation on the African continent and the World at large. He assured the delegates of the Commission’s cooperation and fruitful deliberations.
During the study visit, the Commission took PURA and NAWEC through the following.
- Energy/Electricity Sector Policy and Governance Systems
- Roles and functions of the PURC- the Acts, Lega Reforms
- Regulatory Tools and Guidelines; Minimum Service Level Guidelines and Regulations
- Tariff models, design and pass-through mechanisms/Automatic adjustment formula
- Background on Model and regulations for Feed in tariffs-prosumers
- Tariffs for Green mini-grid
- Compliances process
- Complaints handling process
- Role of National Regulators in the Development of the Regional Electricity Market (REM),
- Ghana Experience, Licensing framework and power purchase agreements (PPAs).
The Commission also facilitated a meeting between the delegation, the Energy Commission (EC), and Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo). Mr Anthony Blebo on behalf of the Chief Executive Secretary of EC led the discussions. He made presentations on the Energy Sector, the Mandate, the Renewable Energy projects with the secondary schools, electrical wiring, licensing, and the various laws of the EC.
The Commission also facilitated a meeting for the delegation to visit the Grid Company Limited systems control room, where Inj. Mark Baah, and Mr. Frank Okyere took them through the discussion and explained the history and mandate of the company as part of the unbundling of the power sector as part of the power sector reforms, and the operations of the system control room. Inj. Baah further explained that Gridco is responsible for the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS) and the operation of the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM).
Alhaji Jabaru, who sat in for the Executive Secretary Dr. Ishmeal Ackah, was supported by Mr. Wallace Duodu, Director of Finance and Administration; Ing. Fred Oblitey, Director of Energy Services and Performance Monitoring; Dr. Eric Obutey, Director of Research and Corporate Affairs, and Mr. Robert Saka Addo, Director of Regulatory Economics, Ms Barbara Holm-fletcher, Senior Manager, Legal Services, Mr Vivor Gershon, Senior Manager Energy Services and Performance Monitoring, Mr. Leon Acquaye, Principal Manager, Regional Operations and Consumers Services, Mr Eric Kyem, Head of Research, Mr Robert Tia Abdulai Aziz, Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr Frempong Nicholas, Assistant Manager, Energy Services and Performance Monitoring, Aann Ansah, Assistant Manager, Regulatory Economics, Charles JoJo. Assistant Manager, Media Relation, Mrs Deborah Bonney, Assistant Manager, Events & Protocol Services, Mr Charles Joseph Biney, Principal Officer, Digitization and Information.
Delegation from PURA- Gambia
The Gambia Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), delegation comprised:
Mr. Burama Jammeh - Director of Economic Regulations
Mrs. Jamilatou Saidy- Ag. Director Consumer Services
Ms Emma Mendy – Director of Legal, Licensing and Enforcement
Musa Njie – Acting Director Petroleum, Water and Electricity
Mr. Dodou Joof - Economic Officer
Delegation from NAWEC- Gambia
The delegation from the Gambia National Water and Electricity Company Ltd (NAWEC) comprised:
Mrs. Ngoneh Jallow (Customer Service Director)
Mrs. Madeline Sambou (Senior Manager Regulatory Affairs)