A ministerial sub-committee established by the High-Level Committee on Economic Reform on Monday visited the Ezra Power Plant to assess the company’s fuel requirements and inspect its storage facilities as part of the review process.
The delegation was led by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation James Mawich, who serves as rapporteur of the High-Level Committee, and included Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Onyoti Adigo, alongside Energy and Dams Undersecretary Macham Macham Angui and technical officials.
Speaking to reporters during the visit, Mawich said the inspection was prompted by Ezra’s request for a tax exemption to facilitate the uninterrupted operation of the power plant, which is already facing significant power generation capacity hurdles.
“The visit to EZRA power plant follows a request for a tax exemption to facilitate the smooth operation of power supply in Juba,” Mawich said, adding that the team assessed the quantity and quality of fuel required to keep the generators running and ensure affordable electricity for consumers.
The review comes after President Salva Kiir ordered the cancellation of non-statutory tax exemptions, prompting the government to scrutinise exemption requests on a case-by-case basis.
Mawich said the High-Level Committee had approved the release of 20 fuel trucks out of 100 trucks stranded at the Nimule border crossing while the broader request remains under review.
“The High-Level Committee approved the release of 20 trucks out of 100 trucks stranded at the border post of Nimule pending review of each request case by case to ensure the Presidential Order on cancellation of Non-Statutory Tax Exemptions is implemented accordingly,” he said.
He added that Ezra Power Plant and the Ministry of Energy and Dams had been tasked with submitting a comprehensive report to the committee “in the shortest time possible” to support a final decision on the company’s request for a tax exemption on HFO imports.
Energy Ministry Undersecretary Macham Macham Angui argued that a fuel subsidy in the form of a tax exemption was necessary not only for Ezra but also for the Juba Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO), saying it would help maintain stable electricity tariffs.
“The importance of fuel subsidy in the form of a tax exemption for the case of EZRA and JEDCO company” is to keep electricity prices stable in the market, Angui said.
Ezra Country Operations Manager Amanuel Ghebre said the company remained committed to complying with South Sudanese laws while continuing to provide electricity services within the country’s legal framework.
The government’s review comes at a time when businesses and households have been grappling with rising fuel costs, which have placed additional pressure on electricity generation and other essential services in South Sudan.
