AFSEC Standardization Committee Meeting – April 2007

1. Status reportActivities of study committee 4StandardizationUPDEA Scientific Committee MeetingApril 2007Abidjan

2. Working Group No. 1: Support for AFSEC • Main task : to prepare information concerning AFSEC in a form that can be used by any UPDEA member to engage with stakeholders in his respective country, so as to convince them that their country becomes a member of AFSEC. • 2006 - information pack reviewed by the SC • The information to be posted in the AFSEC website www.afsec-africa.org • UPDEA Secretariat requested to create a link between AFSEC and UPDEA websites. • Periodically, the information shall be updated periodically by AFSEC Interim Secretariat.

3. Aspiration - at least 10 founding members of AFSEC • Specific UPDEA members will be requested to use the information on the website to lobby stakeholders in their respective countries to form national electrotechnical committees and to become founding members of AFSEC • South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana already expected to commit to be founding members of AFSEC - these had already formed national electrotechnical committees. • The following specific countries identified to be lobbied through the respective UPDEA members as likely founding members of AFSEC: Zambia, Cameroon, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, DR Congo, Senegal, and Ethiopia • Further direct communication to be sent to the respective UPDEA members in these countries

4. Working Group No. 2: Standards for AFSEC Main tasks • Define standards for AFSEC. • Identification of standards relevant to the electricity industry (starting with the distribution sector). • Listing and explaining the harmonisation methodology. • Inform the members about the best procedures of procurement to avoid waste of money.

5. Progress with defining standards for AFSEC • Attempt initiated in July 2006 to solicit detailed information regarding standards relevant to the electricity distribution industry :by way of a questionnaire to members to be returned by end Sept. 2006. • This resulted in only four members’ completed questionnaires being returned [Angola, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and South Africa]. • Insufficiently representative of the status throughout Africa • As yet there had been no report from the WG convenor on any further responses from members. • The SC agreed that alternative approaches are needed to achieve the intended support in identifying standards for AFSEC.

6. The harmonisation methodology • It was accepted that the harmonisation methodology would be developed within the AFSEC operating procedures, with input from UPDEA. • Rather, the role of the UPDEA SC should be to prioritize the harmonisation work of AFSEC to the maximum benefit of UPDEA members.

7. Proposals • Engage with the power pools to identify which specific areas of lack of standardization impede regional integration at the level of interconnections. • UPDEA members to identify in their own utilities which ‘top 10’ areas at the level of distribution networks are problematic, and where harmonisation would be desirable. • UPDEA secretariat to be asked to facilitate the communication to both power pools and to its utility members. • These responses to be submitted to AFSEC to guide its initial programme of work.

8. Procedures of procurement to avoid wasting money The subject was considered, and will be taken up in the proposed sub-themes for the 16th congress.

9. 16th Congress : Proposed sub-themes • ISO 9001, a standard for good governance for African power utilities • The role of standards in the regulation of African power utilities

10. Standardization Colloquium 28th - 29th May 2007 • Main theme: African electrotechnical standardization: challenges and opportunities • Colloquium (and that of the SC for customer management) in collaboration with Spintelligent, which is the organiser of “African Utility Week”. • This arrangement includes a special discount (20%) for UPDEA member registering to attend African Utility Week 30-31 May. • The colloquium and a forum for AFSEC stakeholders would be combined, taking place over the two days 28-29 May. The forum for AFSEC stakeholders was a precursor to the inauguration of AFSEC • The detailed programme to be advised at the end of the Scientific Committee meeting

11. Inauguration of AFSEC • A meeting of the AFSEC working group was planned for 16-18 April at the AUC, to plan for the inauguration of AFSEC, which was reported to take place in Ghana, first week Sept 2007 • VRA, together with the Ghana Standards Bureau had been asked to host the event. A formal request in this regard was expected from the AU • Noted that the UPDEA SG would attend the AFSEC WG meeting

12. 1°) Thank you for your attention www.afsec-africa.org secretariat@afsec-africa.org