Principal Secretary for Energy, Engineer Emmanuel Matapa, says the effective application of technical skills acquired through the European Union-funded Twinning Project is critical for the modernization of Malawi’s energy sector and the enhancement of regulatory governance.
The Principal Secretary said this on Thursday during the official close-out ceremony of the “Strengthening the Institutional and Technical Capacity of the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA)” Project
The 27-month project, which was supported by the European Union with a budget of €2.5 million, was established with the primary objective of enhancing the governance of the Malawi energy sector to support the modernization of the economy. The initiative focused on strengthening MERA’s technical capacity, reviewing institutional and organizational processes, and improving economic regulation and market analysis.
Highlighting the project’s achievements, Eng. Matapa noted that the collaboration has delivered critical regulatory tools, including updated grid codes, a revised Key Performance Indicator (KPI) system for electricity and fuel sectors, and regulations for net metering and net billing. Additionally, the project has enhanced consumer protection through the implementation of a digital platform for handling complaints and a pilot data connection platform for the fuel sector.
Addressing the strategic recommendations aimed at strengthening the Authority’s governance, Eng. Matapa assured stakeholders that the Government is committed to ensuring that the MERA Board is truly independent. He emphasised that this independence is essential for building investor confidence and ensuring transparency in the sector.
“We request MERA officials to use what was learnt in the project time during exchange program. These tools must be translated into tangible improvements in service delivery,” Eng. Matapa stated.
The project was implemented by a consortium of European partners, including GSE, ARERA, and Eutalia from Italy, and RONI from Slovakia
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining – M
