Energy experts from ECOWAS Member States are meeting in Cotonou, Benin to consider and validate three major legal texts which will help to strengthen the regulatory framework for the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market.
They are the Directive for the Harmonization of the Criteria for the Granting of Licences and Authorization to participate in the Regional Electricity Market; the Regulation on the Surveillance of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market; and the Regulation on the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market Levy.
While the Directive on the Harmonization of the Criteria for Granting Licenses and Authorization for Participation in the Regional Electricity Market is expected to promote a level-playing field for cross-border electricity trade among ECOWAS Member States, the Regional Electricity Market Supervision Regulation will establish rules and procedures for the supervision of participants in cross-border power trade to promote a favourable regional approach to investment and capacity development.
For its part, the Regional Electricity Market Fee Regulation seeks to establish a fee to finance the operation and functioning of the regional power market and ensure its effective supervision and regulation.
Participants at the meeting are being treated to presentations on the ECOWAS Regional Green Hydrogen Strategy and Action Plans 2023-2030 and 2031-2050 as well as the commencement of the implementation of the ECOWAS Updated Energy Policy.
They will also receive briefings on the state of progress of the studies for the development of a single gas pipeline project for the ECOWAS region, involving the merger of the West Africa Gas Pipeline Extension Project (WAGPEP) and the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project (NMGP).
The energy experts are drawn from the Ministries of Energy and national regulatory bodies in Member States, and ECOWAS institutions including the ECOWAS Commission, the West African Power Pool (WAPP), the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) and the West Africa Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA).
The opening of the two-day meeting which began on October 5, 2023, was addressed by the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitization, Mr. Sédiko Douka and the Minister of State for Energy of Benin, Mr. Edouard Dahome.
Mr. Dahome recalled the common approach adopted by ECOWAS towards a well-regulated energy market.
He noted that WAPP and ERERA were created to ensure the integration of the national electricity networks into a unified and regulated regional electricity market “to ensure in the medium and long-term a regular, reliable supply of electricity at a competitive cost to the populations”.
In his remarks, Commissioner Douka who was represented by the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Benin, Mr. Amadou Diongue, stated that the legal texts “are major prerequisites to ensure the proper functioning of our electricity market on a clear and fair basis for all participants”.
He observed that the documents were “the subject of the active contribution of Member States and national regulatory bodies of the electricity sector throughout their development process”, adding that “the recommendations made at each stage were integrated to result in these versions which are submitted to you this morning”.
Recommendations from the energy experts will be presented to 15th meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Energy on Saturday, October 7, 2023 in Cotonou, Benin.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com