The finalization of the transformation process of the National Electricity Company (Snel) through its restructuring is one of the main recommendations formulated at the end of the National Forum on Electricity. Assises organized from 20 to 22 August in Matadi, Kongo Central, under the high patronage of the President of the Republic.

Recommendations on the Snel

Some participants wanted the restructuring of Snel to be done by « segmenting and organizing its three sectors into independent entities ».

Another recommendation is that of « entrusting the management of the public electricity transmission network to a neutral operator » which, according to a group of participants, is neither a producer nor a distributor, so as to « ensure equality between producers, importers and exporters of electricity « .

#RDC Le @Forumrdc2019 recommande la segmentation des activités constituant l'objet social de la @SNELrdc. | @Presidence_RDC via @Zoom_eco pic.twitter.com/UuZ2nG3W5E

— Zoom Eco (@Zoom_eco) August 22, 2019

In the audience, these recommendations were not perceived in the same way, so much so that some participants shunned and rejected them.

Cross reactions
For the elected national deputy of Matadi, Fabrice Puela, the question of the restructuring of the Snel should be supported in the framework of the reform of the public companies. Which, according to him, can only be effective with the assistance of the legislator.

« The reform of public companies is a whole process. We can not, in three days, decide on the reform of the Snel. This state company is governed by a law. I welcome the holding of this activity, despite some organizational hiccups noted. Basically, we can not bring down the recommendations. They were not adopted by all participants. It does not happen like that. Before addressing such an issue, it is important to conduct preliminary studies, « he said.

On the side of the organizers, the perception of this reaction is relativized. Some people think that there may have been a misunderstanding on the part of the reactionaries.

« It has not been decided that the Snel be dismembered. It’s a simple recommendation. It will be up to the Central Government, through the Ministry of Energy and the President of the Republic, to decide the future of Snel where the State is the sole shareholder. The forum has a scientific character. This is one of many resolutions. We are all trying to improve the rate of access to electricity, « said Michel Eboma Ablavi, a member of the College of Mines and Energy as President of the Republic.

Michel Eboma announced that a final meeting of the organizing committee will be held on Tuesday, August 27th. The main issue will be to clarify this issue of Snel.

Olivier KAMO