National Energy Policy - Part II. (Strategies and Action Plan) 2015-2020.

With this National Energy Policy the Government intends to address the key issues in the Energy Sector and provide a framework for efficient utilisation and management of the Country’s energy resources. The Formulation of the Policy is guided by several principles, including: providing a system of energy supply that is cost-effective, dependable and efficient; improvement of sub-regional energy trade and cooperation; implement legislation and regulatory procedures in order to allow public and private sector participation; provide attractive incentives to encourage private sector investors; support for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation of oil and gas; preserving the natural forest cover; promoting renewable energy technologies; ensuring environmental sustainability in the provision of energy.
The Policy defines its long-term objective as the maximisation of the utilisation of energy resources, in order to support economic development in an environment-friendly way. Furthermore, incentives and requirements for private sector stakeholders and players are set to define their contribution to the realisation of the long-term objective. Concerning each field of energy sector (electricity; petroleum products; hydrocarbon exploration; liquefied petroleum gas; renewable energy; domestic fuels; environmental sustainability), the Policy provides for specific development objectives, defines policy elements and proper strategies to implement the objectives. Objectives and related strategies concern: improvement of electricity supply nationwide and its efficiency and productivity; reduce cost and electricity losses; encouraging private sector participation; stimulating rural development; optimise petroleum exploration, production, collection and storage; encourage the use of alternative fuels for energy production; supporting hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation; reducing dependence on fuelwood by reducing cost of liquefied petroleum gas; increasing renewable energy share and human resources capacity in electricity production; ensuring that implementation of Energy Policy does not create negative impacts on both human health and the environment. After formulating strategies, the Policy provides for the elaboration of an Action Plan over a period of four years (2014-2018), to implement strategies and achieve the expected objectives. Final parts of the Policy concern legal aspects and regulatory functions for each sub-sector; the existing institutional framework and a proposed new one; key recommendations.