Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority to take on ‘illegal’ filling station developers

Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) says construction of new service stations will now undergo tough scrutiny as one way of ensuring safety and quality service delivery from filling stations in the country.

Under the new guidelines, Mera will not be able to consider construction of any retail outlet if the proposed site is located within a one kilometer radius from an existing operational service station unless if there are exemptions

This follows the implementation of new laws in liquid, fuels and gas that mandate MERA to inspect sites earmarked for construction of filling stations which are now referred as service stations.

The new law only allows construction of a service station within one kilometer of an existing service station, one hundred meters away from a public institution or 50 meters from a residential area.

Previously, people would identify their own preferential sites and construct filling stations without following proper procedures and standards and only engaged MERA in applying for business licenses.

MERA Director of liquid fuels and gas Alinafe Mkavea said the absence of proper procedures backed by a legal framework resulted in unnecessary construction of filling stations which posed elevated risks like loss of lives and properties in cases of accident.

“The previous scenario of setting up filling stations had many risks because it did not provide for checks in standards and safety because MERA was not involved in the process from the beginning.

Now we expect people to come before construction begins to get a construction license after approval from the authority,” Mkavea said.

She added now the authority is mandated to work with clients on identifying proper construction sites for a service station to the end.

“The laws are now in force and we expect sanity in the energy sector terms of constructing service centers,’ she said.

On filling stations that have been already constructed but do not meet standards and requirements prescribed by the new laws, Mkavea said the new regulations require MERA to issue improvement notices which instructs the owners to rectify the shortfalls that may affect operations of service stations.

She, however, acknowledged challenges still remain with filling stations constructed in unsafe locations.

Mkavea said it is difficult to the law retrospectively to filling stations erected on unsafe locations because the laws were effected on September 15.

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Peter Katasya
6 years ago

Mumangolankhula no action

Hlabezulu Ngonoonda
Hlabezulu Ngonoonda
6 years ago

In Blantyre, a certain filing station was erected on top of the main water pipe belonging to a water servicing utility. This happened during the time of lawlessness whereby people vandalized street poles in the city; encroached forest reserves as well as catchment areas; and public lands.

With the current laws, how will the legislation rectify the shortfalls that may affect operations of service stations and that of the water servicing utility, as alluded to in the first sentence?

BRAVE NYANYALUWA
BRAVE NYANYALUWA
6 years ago

MUCHITA CHIYANI NDI AJA AMANGA PAFUPI NDI CHIPATALA CHA BOTTOM AJA CAUSE PAMENE PAJA MA METRE 100 NGAKHALE 50 SAKUKWANA?

Mjiba
Mjiba
6 years ago

We have been saying this for a long time. Look now in Nyambadwe Blantyre , a new Mt Meru filling station being constructed next to MHC FLATS. So pathetic

Hlabezulu Ngonoonda
Hlabezulu Ngonoonda
6 years ago
Reply to  Mjiba

So it is. In South Lunzu Housing Area 3 in Blantyre one is under construction just across the road opposite the Area 2 Seventh Day Adventist Church and in Zomba just near the Anglican Church facing the Enterprise Building. The latter is being constructed on land which during the rainy season gets extremely wet such that the water table rises for a naked eye to see. Planners have have gone to sleep on this fuel tanks which are being dug close to residential areas and public amenities. They bombs in fact. Once they have exploded the damage is extensive.

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