DRC government authorizes PERENCO-REP to implement its natural gas exploitation project to produce electricity

The Council of Ministers of Friday September 4, under the direction of the Head of State, gave its discharge for the realization of the project of PRERENCO-REP to exploit natural gas in order to produce electricity.

At the end of this meeting of the government, the Council of Ministers adopted the report of the Commission set up to study this file, giving its approval for: – reaffirmation of the need to carry out the project for the production and marketing of electricity obtained by the transformation of natural gas by the PERENCO-REP Group; – implementation of the said project in strict compliance with Law n ° 14/011 of June 17, 2014 relating to the electricity sector and its implementing measures, under the authority of the Minister having Hydraulic Resources and Electricity in his attributions, the Electricity Regulatory Authority heard;- Approval of Amendment n ° 9 by clarifying the provisions on the production and marketing of electricity which must be done in accordance with the Law on the Electricity Sector.

During its 46th meeting on August 28, 2020, the Council of Ministers examined the project relating to the production and marketing of electricity obtained by the transformation of the natural gas that escapes from the exploitation of hydrocarbons by the PERENCO-REP Group. This, following the presentation by the Minister of Hydrocarbons of three draft texts.

As a reminder, the texts concerned concerned: 1) Draft Amendment n ° 9 to the Convention of 11 August 1969 governing the exploration and exploitation of Hydrocarbons in the land area of ​​the Democratic Republic of Congo; 2) The Draft Ordinance approving addendum n ° 9 to the Convention of 11 August 1969 governing the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the land area of ​​the Democratic Republic of the Congo; 3) The Draft Ministerial Decree on the second renewal of the hydrocarbon exploitation concessions n ° 179, 180 and 191 of the land area of ​​the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

It was following the differences that appeared on the substance and on the form of the texts analyzed that the Council had instructed the Prime Minister to gather around him lawyers from the Government and those from the Presidency of the Republic in order to smooth them out.