South Sudan President Salva Kiir Initiates Review Of Expensive Electricity Agreement

By Deborah Akur Chol, South Sudan

In a significant move aimed at addressing complaints about high electricity costs in the capital, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit has announced the establishment of a committee on Wednesday night to review the power purchase agreement for Juba’s 100-megawatt electricity generation and distribution plant.

Residents welcomed the decision, seeing it as a positive step toward making electricity more affordable.

This announcement came just a day after the government shared plans to secure $130 million for a significant electricity import project from Kampala, Uganda.

Presently, the Juba Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO), a public-private partnership between Ezra Construction & Development Group (ECDG)—which holds a 52% stake—and the state-owned South Sudan Electricity Corporation (SSEC), which owns 48%, serves as the sole electricity provider in Juba.

JEDCO, which launched its first power plant in November 2019, aims to deliver “reliable, sustainable, and affordable electricity” to residents, according to its website.

During a broadcast on the state-owned South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation (SSBC), President Kiir appointed a committee led by the undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Dams, with the undersecretary of planning from the Ministry of Finance and Planning serving as deputy.

The committee’s responsibilities include:

Reviewing the agreement terms between the Energy Ministry and ECDG to assess high electricity tariffs and related charges.

Examining legal and financial aspects to ensure alignment with national laws and regional best practices.

Evaluating the equity structure, shareholder ratios, and dividend policy between the government and ECDG to propose tariff reductions.

Assessing JEDCO’s financial performance and oversight standards.

The committee may bring in additional experts as needed and is required to submit its findings and recommendations within a 60-day timeframe.

Committee members also include:

The auditor general of the National Audit Chamber

The undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs

The head of legal administration in the president’s office

The general manager of SSEC

The director general of the Internal Security Bureau of the National Security Service

The commissioner general of the South Sudan Revenue Authority

The chairperson of the Engineering Council

In a separate decree, President Kiir appointed John Henry Galamo as the new commissioner for Mundri East County in Western Equatoria State, replacing Margret Fozia Emmanuel, although no specific reason was provided for this change.