Decree-Law No.1 of 1996 on Electricity and Water.

This Law consisting of 10 articles aims at organizing duties and powers of the Ministry of Electricity and Water and states that it is responsible for the production, development, transmission, distribution and sale of electric power for all purposes, as well as the extraction, production, distillation, desalination, storage, delivery, distribution and sale of water for drinking, domestic, commercial and industrial uses. Except in cases of personal use issued by the Minister, it is prohibited to produce or distribute electricity and water except with a written license issued by the Minister. The Ministry determines as well (i) the electricity and water connection fees and draw up the tariff schedules for the consumption of electricity and water units in the various regions; and (ii) the prices of other electricity and water services. The Ministry officials are authorized to enter any place connected to electricity and water to verify the implementation of the provisions of this Law. The Ministry has the right to cut off electricity or water services, or both, after giving the consumer sufficient notice in the following cases (i) nonpayment of the fees; (ii) non-conformity of equipment, devices and internal installations with safety conditions; and (iii) establishment of internal extensions without a license from the Ministry.