DRC’s Energy Regulator to decide on power imports for Katanga miners
At the Council of Ministers held on Friday, the Ministers requested for prior opinion from the Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority (ARE) before deciding on the importation of electricity by private operators in response to the energy deficit in the mining industry of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Katanga province.
The demand for electrical energy from mining industries located in the province of Katanga was evaluated at 1,411 MW for the year 2019 against a supply of only 751 MW. This indicates an energy deficit of 660 MW.
The national electricity company (SNEL), a public company, remains to this day the main supplier of electrical energy to the mining industries despite the liberalization of the sector since June 2014. Faced with the incapacity of the public operator, the Katanga mining industry is seriously considering resorting to private investments for the production of electricity in order to reduce the energy deficit.
For this reason, some mining companies invest in the production of electrical energy to power their operations.
About ARE
The Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority, ARE in acronym, is a public administrative establishment endowed with legal responsibility, administrative and financial autonomy. It organises and ensures the promotion of competitiveness and the participation of the private sector in all electricity activities. It also ensures the economic and financial balance of the electricity sector and the preservation of the economic conditions necessary for its viability.
