DR Congo Sharpens Electricity Rules With AfDB Help
DR Congo is strengthening electricity regulation with African Development Bank help, including a study of real power costs and draft grid rules. The post DR Congo Sharpens Electricity Rules With AfDB Help appeared first on The Rio Times .
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is refining its electricity regulation system with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB). The objective is to bolster the financial stability of the power sector, entice investments, and expand access. From Monday 21 to Friday 25 September 2026, officials from the state power company and private operators convened in Kinshasa, the capital, to examine a study on electricity costs and draft rules for grid connection.
The workshop, organized by the Electricity Sector Regulatory Authority (ARE) and supported by AfDB's African Energy Sector Technical Assistance Programme (AESTAP), brought together specialists from the Ministry of Water Resources and Electricity, ARE, and the national electricity company (SNEL). Private operators and other public bodies also participated.
The discussions centered on three reforms: the cost of power supply, a unified tariff calculation method, and grid connection rules. According to Callixte Kambanda, head of AfDB's energy policy, regulation, and statistics division, "Effective economic regulation is an essential foundation for attracting investment."
A critical aspect of electricity regulation is tariffs, and a key tool in this process is a study of the area served by SNEL. This study aims to reveal the true service costs, demand trends, and revenue requirements for operators. Soraya Aziz-Moto, ARE's director-general, emphasized that "This study provides us with essential tools to better understand the sector's costs."
The proposed framework involves a straightforward initial approach, with more sophisticated tools being added as data and expertise improve. The ultimate goal is a transparent and equitable tariff system, implemented incrementally to safeguard household budgets while providing operators with sufficient returns to invest in infrastructure. The study highlights the necessity of accurate sector data to forecast national demand, particularly as SNEL's high-voltage customers include significant mining companies.
DR Congo's national energy plan under Mission 300, an AfDB and World Bank initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, aims to increase access from 21.5% in 2024 to at least 62% by 2030. The government's report indicates that approximately 652,000 people gained electricity access in 2025, representing a substantial step toward the 2030 objective. The AfDB approved a US$3.9 million, two-year AESTAP project for 13 Mission 300 countries, including DR Congo, to support regulation, tariffs, and utilities.
While clearer electricity regulation would directly impact mining companies, as they consume the majority of SNEL's power, the reforms are still in progress and have not resulted in new prices or tariff changes for households or businesses. The grid-connection code's implementation date remains undetermined. The AfDB has not disclosed the cost of the Congo study or the workshop.
As of January 2026, only 14 of the 44 tracked reform actions under Mission 300 were complete, with 24 still pending. The next step involves putting the tools into practice and implementing the new tariff decisions and connection rules.
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