Developing and implementing legislation including the Act on the Electricity Code; Development, monitoring and implementation of the national policy regarding production, transport, distribution and energy efficiency; The development and exploitation of sources of new and renewable energy; Contact online >>
Developing and implementing legislation including the Act on the Electricity Code; Development, monitoring and implementation of the national policy regarding production, transport, distribution and energy efficiency; The development and exploitation of sources of new and renewable energy;
With the new electricity code, Mauritania now has the legislative framework to restructure three key power sector institutions: a) the Mauritanian National Electricity Company (SOMELEC), b) the Department of Electricity and Energy Management (DEME), and c) the Mauritanian Regulatory Authority (ARM) which will help the optimization of the new
In late 2022, Mauritania embarked on a transformative journey for its energy landscape by inaugurating a new electricity code, echoing its robust commitment to decarbonization. This reform stands poised to unleash a surplus of benefits, especially for Mauritania''s extractive sectors and the broader local economy.
Under the Law No 2022-027 dated 22 December 2022 relating to the new Code of Electricity, the main objectives of the revision of the electricity legal framework are: the liberalisation of electricity production, allowing national and international private operators to contribute to the country''s electrification; and.
The electricity sector in Mauritania is characterised by a fragmented electricity network, low electricity access rates, and an imbalance between supply and demand. Due to low population density and dispersion over a vast territory, the transmission network comprises the interconnected grid and standalone networks (several isolated sub-networks
The Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines is the government body responsible for establishing the conditions for the development of the country''s energy resources and related projects, including:
The recent establishment of a National Agency for the Development of Renewable eEnergy (ANADER) illustrates the desire of the public authorities to exploit Mauritania''s full potential.
Responsible ministries/bodies
Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and MinesNational Agency for the Development of Renewable eEnergy (ANADER)
Ministry of Petroleum, Energy and Mines M. Weigert, La Mauritanie. Acteur-clé de la régionalisation euro-méditerranéenne, op. cit., p. 22.
Act on the Electricity Code (2001 – 19)
An interactive tool with perspective on different dimensions of decentralisation (political, administrative and fiscal) across the 27 EU Member States
In this expert focus article, Tah Ould Zein of Avaconseil Avocats Associes looks at how the Mauritania energy sector was, and still is, essentially based on hydrocarbons, and how there are great expectations from the BP-operated GTA gas project, with first gas planned later in 2023 or early in 2024.
Until recently, the exploited sources of clean energy in the country have been quite marginal, with the hydroelectric dam of Diama on the Senegal river and few recent wind-power plants being the primary contributors. However, this situation has dramatically changed in the last three years. Driven by a combination of energy security concerns, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and the worldwide ambition to limit global warming, the developed world has made a significant move to renewable sources of clean energy such as solar, wind and through them, to green hydrogen.
Mauritania, located at the junction of Sahara Desert and Atlantic Ocean, has all the resources in the forms of wind, water and solar energy to produce green hydrogen. Therefore, the government of Mauritania has expressly declared its green hydrogen projects of national interest.
On the legal front, the government has maintained its fairly attractive oil and gas legislation and, on one hand, has revised the Electricity Code to include renewable energy sources within the regulatory framework and, on the other, is actively preparing a Code of Hydrogen.
The main legislation governing petroleum activities is the Hydrocarbons Code resulting from Law No 2010-033 dated 20 July 2010, as amended by Law No 2011-044 dated 25 November 2011 and Law No 2015-016 dated 29 July 2015.
Under the Hydrocarbons Code, deposits or natural accumulations of hydrocarbons in the soil and subsoil of the national territory are the property of the state, which may authorise legal entities, including foreign companies, to undertake oil and gas operations under the conditions that they have the required technical and financial capacity and have obtained an authorisation (licence) to operate.
Such authorisation can be obtained directly from the government after a negotiation process. A company may also farm-in to an existing licence.
There are only two types of authorisations (licences).
The PSC provides for two successive periods: the exploration period of ten plus one years in three phases, and the production period of 25 years (30 years for gas) with one renewal period of up to ten years.
The PSC, as well as any amendment, is approved by a decree issued by the Council of Ministers and is published in the Official Gazette.
Under the Hydrocarbons Code, any operator is entitled to transfer whole or part of the rights and obligations resulting from their licence, subject to the Minister of Petroleum''s prior approval. This approval is mainly subject to the technical and financial capacity of the acquirer. Hence, companies with technical and financial capacity can directly acquire interests in the existing PSCs through a farm-in agreement.
Under the Law No 2022-027 dated 22 December 2022 relating to the new Code of Electricity, the main objectives of the revision of the electricity legal framework are:
Regarding the first objective, it must be noted that operating in the electricity sector, whether in production, transport, storage or distribution, is subject to a licence, which is attributed to any national or foreign operator having the necessary financial and technical capacity. Structural reforms are underway to ensure that the liberalisation of the sector is effective.
In respect of the second objective, the new Code states expressly that the production of electricity from renewable energy sources is a priority investment choice. Hence, operators in this sector are entitled to some advantages.
Mauritania is now largely recognised as an ideal place for the large-scale production of green hydrogen and ammonia. Several agreements were passed with green hydrogen developers, among which are the following:
Due to the lack of a hydrogen regulatory framework in Mauritania, all these agreements were passed in the form of memoranda of understandings, with minimal commitments. Indeed, Mauritania, like most countries, has still not developed specific legislation for hydrogen.
A draft Code of Hydrogen, distinct from the Code of Hydrocarbons, is currently being prepared and (if all goes according to plan) will soon be submitted to Parliament for discussion and adoption.
This code will be required to regulate most of the green hydrogen process of production, storage, transport and exportation.
Within the production process, the land regime, the tax and customs regime, the supply of domestic power, hydrogen and ammonia, and local content will need to be specifically regulated.
About Mauritania electricity regulations
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