The Energy and Water Utilities Authority (EWURA)

=Overview=

The Energy and Water Utilities Authority (EWURA) is an autonomous and multi-sectoral regulatory authority established in February 2006 by the Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority Act, Cap 414. The Authority is charged with the responsibility of overseeing technological and economic regulation in four sectors, namely Electricity, Natural Gas, Petroleum and Water.

=Mission and Vision=

According to the Authority’s website, EWURA is guided by a mission to “regulate the Energy and Water services in a transparent, effective and efficient manner that promotes investments and enhances the socio-economic welfare of the Tanzanian Society,” with a vision to become “a world class regulator of energy and water services.”

=Major Functions and Duties=

The Authority’s functions among others include “licensing, tariff review, monitoring performance and standards with regard to quality, safety, health and environment.” The authority is also expected to establish standards for goods and services provided, regulate rates and charges, make rules and monitor the regulated sectors performance.

In fulfilling its functions, the Authority strives to ensure that it:
 * Promotes effective competition and economic efficiency


 * Protects the interests of consumers


 * Protects the financial viability of efficient suppliers


 * Promotes the availability of regulated services to all consumers including low income, rural-based and disadvantaged consumers


 * Protects and preserves the environment, and


 * Enhances public knowledge, awareness and understanding of the regulated sectors.

=Strategic Plan=

EWURA is guided by a four-year Strategic Plan whose objectives are:
 * To serve as a source of information and framework for reference for all stakeholders so that they can be fully aware of, and as appropriate be engaged in, the processes of efficient and effective delivery of services


 * To lay down an agreeable coherent strategic framework of key outcomes and objectives to govern the scheduling and implementation of activities and services which EWURA needs to deliver during the planning period


 * To act as a working tool for the management team; and


 * To guide and organise operational inputs to achieve the outputs for each annual operating plan

=Management=

The Authority is run by Director-General who oversees daily operations. The Director-General is assisted by heads of different departments and divisions. EWURA has seven divisions: Electricity, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Water and Sewerage, Legal Services, Regulatory Economic, and Corporate Affairs. Like many other government authorities, EWURA has Board of Directors whose chairperson is appointed by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania. =Natural Gas-related Activities=

EWURA regulates mid- and down-stream natural gas activities on Mainland Tanzania. These activities include processing, transportation, storage and distribution. Related infrastructure such as gas processing plants, transmission and distribution pipelines also fall under the Authority’s regulatory activities and are inspected on the ground. The Authority plans to introduce standards and codes for regulating the natural gas. Currently, the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has no specific standards, and this gap allows companies to use negotiated standards. However, as EWURA participated in the formulation of the National Natural Gas Policy of 2013, which focuses on the mid- and down-stream sectors, it would be easy to develop binding standards for the sector as the policy is in operation.

In June 2015, the Regulator is expected to develop a “Natural Gas least cost investment framework”.

=Challenges in Regulating the Sector=

1.	Regulatory Framework

The challenges EWURA faced during the implementation of the second Strategic Plan (2008-11) include the absence of a natural gas policy (adopted in 2013), oil and gas legislation and master plan (still at the ministerial level).

2.	Infrastructure

Insufficient gas processing, lack of transmission infrastructure, and high industry demand currently limits the utilisation of Natural Gas. The new Mnazi-Bay-Dar-es-Salaam Pipeline is expected to take pressure off the existing infrastructure. According to the Authority, wells maintenance poses a future threat to production as no spare wells are available.

3.	Safety

According to EWURA, there are several safety challenges in regulating the sector. These include encroachment on the pipeline areas, conducting businesses around the pipeline area, etc.

=References=