Our Objectives are to increase access to safe, reliable and affordable electricity and water services, and to protect the long-term interests of consumers throughout Vanuatu.

The Utilities Regulatory Authority (URA) is Vanuatu’s economic regulator of electricity and water services. It manages consumer complaints and advises the government on matters related to electricity and water. It also renegotiates tariffs under the rules of the Concessions Agreements.

The Authority was created in part to promote the consumers’ long-term interest and to increase access to safe, reliable and affordable electricity and water services.

In the electricity sector, the Authority monitors the concessions operated by utilities in Luganville, Port Vila, Malekula and Tanna islands. It may also regulate the small utilities operating outside the concession areas.

In the water sector, the Public Works Department supplies the town of Luganville and other small communities in the country, and a private company operates in the concession area in Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila.

The Authority is an initiative of the government with additional financial support from AusAID through the Governance for Growth (GfG) Program in cooperation with the World Bank.

Please visit the ABOUT THE URA page to learn about our objectives and structure.

LATEST NEWS

Media Release: URA consults on new pre-payment meter scheme (7 June 2013) Thia is a revised draft decision for a new pre-payment meter scheme for electricity customers in Port Vila. This new scheme will give domestic customers the option to switch to a pre-payment meter if they wish

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Media Release: URA Encourages Government to Improve Water Services in Luganville (27 May 2013). This review has defined actions that the Government needs to take in order to improve water services for customers. These actions include better separation of the water service as a business, setting up an annual performance audit, and preparing an investment plan.
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Energy Market Report - April. Learn more about how much electricity is produced in each concession area in Vanuatu and which sources are used.
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Media Release: URA Looking at Self-Generation and Feed-in Options (30 April 2013). The existing legal and contractual framework lacks clarity on the conditions to connect private installations to the electricity network and how to sell a portion or all of that electricity to utility companies.The Authority’s review intends to determine if a self-generation system will benefit the country: burning less diesel, achieving greater efficiency, and potentially lowering electricity prices.
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Media Release: URA Opens Consultation on Utilities’ Regulatory Reporting Requirement (17 April 2013). Any interested member of the general public is welcome to comment by 17 May 2013 on a new report that reviews the contractual and legal reporting requirements applied to electricity utilities operating in Vanuatu.
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To see all the media releases and feature stories, visit the NEWS section.