Cabinet endoses National Energy Authority, allocates budget

The proposed National Energy Authority would be established upon the enactment of the National Energy Authority Bill 2020.
The National Executive Council (NEC) recently endorsed the National Energy Authority Bill 2020.
Cabinet also approved an initial budget for the establishment of the National Energy Authority from the budget estimates submitted to the Department of Treasury.
Prime Minister James Marape said Cabinet noted that subsequent funding for National Energy Authority operations would be the responsibility of the authority through its revenue collection activities.
He said Cabinet approved K5 million to be allocated to the energy wing of the Department of Petroleum and Energy to be used as bridging finance to establish the National Energy Authority.
Marape said energy played a critical role in driving the economic development and industrialisation of Papua New Guinea.
He said the National Energy Authority Bill 2020 was recommended in the National Energy Policy: Harnessing Energy for Life 2017-2027.
“Cabinet approved the National Energy Authority Bill 2020 and approved the Electricity Industry Act 2002 Amendment Bill 2020,” he said.
Cabinet approved the drafting instructions for the National Energy Authority Bill 2020 and the drafting instructions to the Electricity Industry Act 2020 Amendment Bill 2020 for the First Legislative Counsel to do a final review of the two Bills already drafted and for the tabling of the Bills in Parliament.