As part of the 27th edition of the Africa Energy Forum, held from June 17 to 20, 2025, in Cape Town (South Africa), the CEO of ARE, Dr. Sandrine Mubenga attended the 2024 session of the Electricity Regulatory Index for Africa, published by the African Development Bank. She shared her experience.
Representing the DRC in the City of Cape Town, the ARE’s CEO was invited to share her views on how the implementation of the AfDB’s recommendations has benefited the Congolese electricity sector. “We followed these recommendations which helped us make huge improvements in regulating the energy sector,” she told the audience, using actual data.
One of the key elements highlighted by the AfDB, she noted, is the need for regulatory bodies to reach a genuine financial autonomy, and to be able to make independent decisions. “This is an area where African countries need to make more progress. In DRC, we must really work towards achieving both financial and political autonomy for ARE,” she emphasized.
Commenting on the AfDB report, which assesses the regulatory progresses of each country’s energy sector, Dr. Mubenga emphasized the social impact of regulation. “The aim was to compare the regulatory frameworks across Africa and to analyze how regulation evolved in 2024. The AfDB shared the results of a survey conducted across all African regulators,” she explained.
She emphasised that regulation, as an indicator, aims to improve the standard of living of the population.
“There are several components within this indicator, and one of them specifically concerns the social impact: how regulation can have a positive effect on the population.”
Visit to an Ultracapacitor Company
Still during the AEF, Dr. Sandrine Mubenga visited PESCATECH, a client of West (Wright Energy Storage Technologies), a company that provides non-chemical energy storage solutions featuring high performance, exceptional reliability, minimal degradation, ultra-fast charging, and very low fire risk. Dr. Mubenga first connected with West at the Powering Africa Summit in Washington through its CFO, Ms. Linda Habgood. PESCATECH is a supplier of cleaning products in South Africa.
High-Powered, Long-Life Capacitors
West’s systems, branded as WEST Summit, are designed for a wide range of applications including solar energy, microgrids, and EV charging. These ultracapacitors boast a lifespan of up to 45 years, rapid charge/discharge capabilities, and high round-trip efficiency. They also feature advanced safety mechanisms, including dual current control and short-circuit detection.
In addition, ARE’s CEO held discussions with the team from CrossBoundary Group, which holds a 200 MW power generation contract for the mining company KAMOA Copper SA.
COMMUNICATION/ARE
