RERA accelerates energy integration
Robert Kahimise, chief executive of the Electricity Control Board (ECB), says the Regional Energy Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA) plays a vital role in promoting regulatory excellence and cooperation across the energy sector in Southern Africa.
“The ECB is proud to be part of RERA and contribute to its objectives. Regional collaboration is key to addressing energy challenges and unlocking economic growth in our SADC region,” he said at the recent change of RERA chairpersonship in Windhoek.
“As we embark on this new chapter, let us remember that energy is the spark that ignites progress. Let us work together to keep the lights on and momentum going,” he added.
Dr Paulo António da Graça, executive chairman and chief executive of the Energy Regulatory Authority (ARENE) of Mozambique and incoming chairperson of RERA, said: “To lead RERA is not just to hold a title; it is to hold a torch; a torch that illuminates the path toward a harmonised, sustainable, and accessible energy future for more than 300 million people in the SADC region.”
Da Graça noted, “We have seen progress in harmonising regulatory frameworks and in developing the RERA Strategic Plan 2025–2029. Our region is blessed with abundant energy resources - from the hydro potential of the Congo and Zambezi rivers to the solar irradiance of the Kalahari, and gas discoveries across the north and south, including Mozambique. Yet millions still lack access to modern energy, and supply security sometimes constrains our industries. The global transition to decarbonisation adds complexity, demanding that we leapfrog technologies and reimagine our grids.”
He outlined three pillars for his tenure:
First: Deepening regional integration. “We cannot speak of a SADC Power Pool without robust regulatory frameworks. My priority is to accelerate the implementation of the SADC RERA model rules, remove regulatory bottlenecks, and ensure energy flows across borders as freely as our people do,” he said.
Second: Championing the Just Energy Transition. “The transition is inevitable, but it must be just. It should not leave miners unemployed or make electricity unaffordable for the poor. Regulators must innovate, creating sandboxes for battery storage, mini-grids, and renewable energy while maintaining grid stability and consumer protection,” he said.
Third: Building institutional capacity. “RERA is only as strong as its members. I will enhance peer-to-peer learning, create platforms to share solutions, and engage deeply with stakeholders - utilities, IPPs, and consumer bodies - to ensure regulation is an enabler, not a barrier. Universal energy access and industrial growth are long-term goals, but united as regulators, we will go far,” he said.
Skhumbuzo Tsabedze, chief executive of the Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) and former RERA chairperson, highlighted the importance of collaboration in a fragmented world and “the need for regulatory certainty in an era of rapid technological change.”
During his tenure, Tsabedze completed the RERA Strategic Plan 2025–2029, the SADC Regional Grid Code for the Electricity Supply Industry Strategy on Illegal Petroleum Products and Cross-Border Trade, and oversaw the Southern African Regional Energy Regulatory Authority (SARERA) Draft Charter, “which will transform RERA into a fully fledged Regional Energy Regulator.”
He also led the AfDB-funded project to harmonise regional regulatory tools and frameworks, adding, “The energy landscape does not stand still, and neither can we. Challenges such as cybersecurity threats, the just transition to net-zero, and energy affordability are growing more complex every day.”
Francois Robinson, RERA executive director, noted that RERA’s twelve-member regulators reflect “the region’s shared commitment to regulatory cooperation as a foundation for energy security, affordability, sustainability, and integration. As the energy transition accelerates and new challenges emerge, the role of regional regulatory collaboration has never been more critical.”
